Ephemerality
by RAfan2421
Summary: "She taught me love, but you taught me happiness." A series of interconnected scenes depicting the simple and profound moments and memories of a most unlikely relationship.
1. Emerald Convalescence

**Ephemerality**

 **Summary: "She taught me love, but you taught me happiness." A series of interconnected scenes depicting the simple and profound moments and memories of a most unlikely relationship.**

 ** _A/N: I'm still working on my other fics (I swear), but this has been something that I've wanted to write for almost four years now. I hope you enjoy._**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Percy Jackson.**

 **oOo**

 _1_

 _Emerald Convalescence_

"I suppose there's some sort of twisted irony to it all isn't there, Thals?" Percy said, staring at the flickering flames licking up from the beautiful shroud. It _still_ didn't feel real. Four months, two weeks, and six days of frantic searching, of yelling at Zeus, consequences be damned. All of that had turned up … nothing.

Thalia didn't respond - only reaching out and grabbing his hand, drawing herself closer. He wrapped an arm around her, and they clung to each other, desperate for human touch, for the reassurance of a friend.

"I can't believe, after everything that she - that we went through … two whole fucking wars - holding up the sky, navigating the Labyrinth, finding the Athena Parthenos, surviving Tartarus - but one stupid fuck up by the oh so almighty King of the Gods…" Percy breaks down.

She squeezes his hand even tighter. It's difficult to hate your own father, but she's never felt this… uncharitable towards him. Watching Zeus deal with Athena… well, there was a none too small part of Thalia that wouldn't have minded the goddess actually following through on some threats she'd screamed. Thalia didn't envy future children of Zeus at all.

"I loved her too, you know. Maybe not the way _you_ did, but I can still remember that little girl with a dirty face trying to defend herself with a kitchen knife. It was so … so adorably cute a-and…" she shakes her head, willing herself to be strong, if only for Percy.

"I'm the only one left." She whispers, conscious now more than ever of her decision to join the Hunt. Of her immortality, of the world that she left behind, and of the people still in the land of the living, who would one day be taken away from her as well.

"At least they'll have each other in Elysium, right?"

She cracks a half-smile.

" _Family, Luke. You promised."_ She quotes, remembering a darker time, a time when the future of Western Civilization had nearly, oh so nearly, been destroyed.

He can't help the tears that really begin pouring now, dripping down his face and falling onto the ground. He could feel the gaze of the some of the other campers on his back, and angrily swipes at his tears, but it's like a dam has broken because he simply cannot _stop_. So, he turns away, slipping his body away from Thalia's half-embrace to turn away from the fire, because he's Percy Jackson, because he's supposed to be a leader, the face of Camp Half-Blood, the hero who singlehandedly changed the course of history, _twice_ , in the span of a decade. He's not _allowed_ to cry.

Thalia quietly allows him his space, but refuses to let go of his hand. She just gives it another tight squeeze, and that's all he really needs - just another human being; someone else to talk to. She lets him cry, and unashamedly lets her own tears fall.

But they're both done crying soon enough, because they're tough and they've seen too many friends die. That doesn't mean the pain will go away, but they can control themselves. They're good at that.

There's a certain peace now, and Percy's shoulders slowly stop shaking. He shuffles back next to her, once again staring into the fire. "Say, Thals, do you ever – "

"Lieutenant," a quiet, authoritative voice says from behind them.

The two of them whirl around, Thalia dropping Percy's hand as if it had burnt her. But what confronts them is only a fourteen-year-old maiden dressed in the traditional dark Greek mourning robes, raising the slightest eyebrow at their reaction.

"Lady Artemis! This … this isn't what it looks like, I'm just - I just can't believe she's g-gone, and well, we were just talking, and it's nice to, you know …"

"Do not trouble yourself, Thalia," she said quietly. "I understand how you feel too."

Thalia immediately nods her head in understanding.

"And Perseus-" the goddess directs her gaze to the mortal, pausing as if searching for the correct words. "I am sorry for your loss. Annabeth was one of the bravest maidens I have ever known, willingly taking the sky for someone who had betrayed her. It may not mean much to you, but I firmly believe that the reason she never joined the Hunt is because of you."

Percy nods and attempts a smile, although he can't quite manage it. Artemis regards him for a long moment, before turning towards her lieutenant.

"We'll be staying here for the night."

Thalia nods and wipes away some of the tears still trickling down her cheeks.

"I … I'll see you later Percy." She says, voice wavering.

"See you, Thals." Percy responds quietly.

The two huntresses begin to walk away, and Percy turns back to the flames again.

"Oomph, Thalia, what the..?" Percy asks, squeezed in a too tight hug.

"Don't you dare die on me, Seaweed Brain, you got that? You're my only best friend left in the world now." she says once she'd let go, staring fiercely at him with unshed tears shimmering in her electric blue eyes.

"I ... I won't." he swears, awkwardly hugging her back.

She releases him, and leaves without another word.

By now, most of the other campers have already paid their respects to Annabeth and left, although her siblings are still huddled together by the sparks and ashes.

He thinks of going over, of saying something. 'Your sister was the absolute best thing to ever happen to me.' Or 'Your sister will be happy in Elysium.'

Yeah right, like that would do anything except make things more miserable for everyone, himself included.

He reaches into his pocket, first brushing over the beads of a necklace that is now his, before lightly ghosting his fingers over the bill of a cap, slowly tracing the stitched Y.

Even the last of the sparks are fading away now. He turns his gaze upward, to the sky filled with glittering stars and constellations.

"You were my everything, Wise Girl. E-enjoy Elysium, and don't wait around for me if you're trying for rebirth. Just… be happy wherever you go. I'll always miss you."

Turning away from the remnants of the shroud, he makes his way back to his cabin. Stepping inside and closing the door, he makes his way over to his bed in the the soft luminescence of the too happily gurgling fountain.

Tumbling down onto his bed, exhausted, he closes his eyes.

Phobetor takes him immediately.

 **oOo**

 _"You drool in your sleep." She says, giggling as she leans out of his reach in the Big House._

 _"And you moan_ my _name when you're asleep." Percy shot back, grinning at her as her eyes widened, scandalized._

 _"I do NOT!"_

 _"What kind of dreams are you having hmmm Wise Girl?"_

 _"PERSEUS JACKSON, I DO NOT MOAN YOUR NAME IN MY SLEEP." She steamed, smacking his shoulder, at which he immediately recoiled._

 _"Hey! Injured cripple here," he replies, gesturing towards his partially healed leg after a particularly unfortunate incident on the lava wall._

 _"Just because you have kelp for brains and couldn't dodge out of the way of some lava flow does NOT mean you get a free pass for telling lies."_

 _Laughing, he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her closer until she was practically on top of him. She fought him for a brief period, before melting into his arms. He leaned forward to press his lips to hers and…._

Pain.

His shoulder that had impacted against the hard wooden floor of the cabin was probably going to be a bitch for the next couple days. Still, as he took in his surroundings and, more importantly, remembered that Annabeth was gone, the pain in his shoulder couldn't hold a candle to the pain that threatened to tear his chest open.

Stumbling over to his desk, he grasped the picture that a friendly tourist had taken for them last summer, when they'd visited Yellowstone National Park.

Gripping it so tightly that he was afraid he was going to break it, he sat back down onto his bed.

"I don't understand Wise Girl. I just don't. I was supposed to be _luckier_ than this, being named after Perseus and everything. And I was. The luckiest demigod to have ever lived, because I got to meet you when I first entered this strange, terrible, and yet beautiful world. And, for those glorious years we made many happy memories. Do you remember riding in the back of that animal truck on the way to California? Or that first kiss at Mt. St. Helens?"

He gave a watery chuckle. "That probably was the shittiest first kiss ever, especially considering where I ended up after that fiasco. I never apologized for my stay on Ogygia either."

Sobering back up, "I miss you Wise Girl. I miss you with every fiber of my being. And sometimes it's hard to remember that there are others who would miss me if I were to just… go. I just want to see you again, to hold your hand, and kiss you, and just plan our future together."

Swiping at his eyes, he replaced the picture on his desk, changed into a Camp Half-Blood shirt and some jeans, grabbed the Yankees hat, and stepped outside. After checking to see that no harpies saw him emerge, he placed the hat on his head and headed down towards the beach, carefully making sure he left no noticeable footsteps behind him. The ocean had always been his solace, his place to escape. Even after Tartarus, haunted and tortured by memories and nightmares, he'd managed to sleep peacefully in the ocean's embrace.

He padded down towards the shoreline. Taking a seat, he stared out across the harbor, and _wondered_. He wondered about his future. He'd always had those grand plans. He'd finally settle down with Annabeth, they'd have children, a family, and maybe a normal life. The end of the second Giant War had almost made that dream a reality. A drunken Zeus with a lightning bolt had vaporized it. He clenched his fist, having still yet to speak to the King of the Gods. Although, to be fair, no one had seen him since the incident with Athena. No one was sure what had happened, but it obviously hadn't been pretty.

Still, it wasn't worth getting angry at all over again. His thoughts turned melancholy again, remembering the times that they'd spent on the beach.

 _Musical laughter sounded as a fistful of wet sand was stuffed down the back of his shirt. "Arggghhhh, I just changed into this shirt as well, Wise Girl."_

 _Chasing after her, he tried to dive at her ankles to tackle her, but she evaded him nimbly, running away as he faceplanted into the sand._

 _"Gonna have to do better than that, Seaweed Brain." She retorted, grinning smugly at him._

 _Growling, he willed the waves to rise. The water immediately responded to his command, and he effortlessly sent a six-foot wave speeding towards Annabeth, completely drenching her and knocking her off her feet so that she was scrabbling to prevent herself from being pulled back into the water. She was dripping wet, with a murderous look on her face._

 _He never thought he'd seen anything quite so beautiful._

 _Before she could retaliate, he pounced on her, pinning her arms underneath his and forcing her into submission._

 _She struggled for a little bit, but realizing the futility of it all stopped trying to push him off and just smirked teasingly at him._

 _"It's okay, Percy, I like it rough just fine."_

 _He spluttered and immediately rolled off of his girlfriend. He hadn't really known about this side of Annabeth until after the Giant War, (although he really should have suspected it with the way that her hand occasionally sneaked under his shirt while sharing a room on the Argo II,) but boy could she be titillating at times._

 _Chuckling, she rolled over into his arms and said, "Dry me off, babe."_

 _Desperately trying to calm his blushing, he willed the water to evaporate from her clothing, and her clothes dried within moments._

 _"Thanks Seaweed Brain." She said cheerfully, leaning down to give him a quick peck on the lips._

"Gah!" He gasped as he suddenly sat up, looking around frantically.

Had he fallen asleep? Apparently so.

The small waves slowly crashing into the shoreline calmed him, and he stared out at the sea, his thoughts all jumbled and..

Wait, was the moon growing bigger or was he still somehow dreaming?

Then his eyes widened as he realized what was happening. He jumped up as the deer landed, and bowed.

"Lady Artemis. Uhm, not to be rude, but what are you doing here?"

"Well, I was going to wait until morning, but since I saw you, I might as well tell you that Athena told me to pass along a message to you."

Suitably intrigued, for he had never really gotten along with the Wisdom Goddess, he asked, "What does she want to say to me?"

"She said, and I quote, 'Ask him about his true feelings towards Annabeth, and whether or not the two of them were truly going to be forever, or if she was just a temporary distraction for him.'" Artemis recited.

White hot anger erupted in Percy's chest, causing a sudden, minor, shudder in the Earth.

Artemis's eyes widened slightly, "Perseus—"

"You have got to be fucking kidding me. Is that all she's concerned about? I loved her, and she knows this. She knew it ever since the Second Titan War ended; why the fuck would she even ask that question?" he spat.

"Perseus pl—"

"Is this what you think too? Huh? Think that I'm just another 'boy' who's sole purpose in the world is to break girls' hearts?"

Artemis's eyes glittered harshly. "Watch yourself, Perseus. I insinuated nothing of the kind. Do you think I haven't watched you for some time now? You, who managed to convince _Zoe_ , of all people, that not every man was terrible. That not every man deserved to be turned into a jackalope. I know you to be a good person. A little hot-headed at times, but unfailingly kind, loyal, and caring towards those you care about. Don't make me change my mind."

He took a step back at her response, bubbling anger cooling.

"Huh? You've seen all of that?" He asked, shocked that _Artemis_ of all people would have paid that much attention to him.

"Yes, I have. Sometimes, you give me hope that perhaps all men are not as bad as those that I've seen. Whenever I miss my former lieutenant, I'll look up at the stars, and I'll remember what she said. Remember how she accepted you. Remember how she gave you that weapon that you now wield."

"Sorry about earlier," he muttered, now. "It's just so.. so fucking shitty. I… We- We've been through so much, and sh-she… I just—I miss her so gods damned much sometimes."

Her eyes softened a little, and she nodded. Surprising even herself, she reached out and patted his shoulder awkwardly. Comforting people, however, was never her strong suit.

"I shall tell my sister that you would have given your relationship everything then. For now, though, I must return to my duties. Good luck, Perseus, and take care of yourself."

Stepping back into her moon chariot, she took off back into the air.

"Thank you, milady." He whispered, watching the silvery blur return to the sky.

He never really considered just _how much_ she knew about him. Not for a long while.

 **oOo**

They never worked out, he thought sadly, as he left the restaurant, having broken things off with yet another girl. Six months of trying to find someone new, of trying to move on, of searching for happiness, but to no avail. They were nice, the girlfriends. Jane, Anna, Emily, and Jasmine. They were definitely interested in him, but they were only distractions. They took the edge off the pain, but they couldn't do much more than plug the gaping hole in his chest for a short period of time.

Outside, the first snowfall was slowly drifting down on New York City, fat flakes landing everywhere. Christmas lights were up in full force as well, lighting up the city, a breathtaking swirl of red and green that he couldn't help but take a moment to appreciate. Pulling up his hood, he started the short trek to his apartment.

He lived in the city now. Going back to Camp Half-Blood would bring up memories, and that was the last thing he needed. Six months had done wonders for him, changing him from a barely functional wreck into someone who was now working as an assistant manager at _ Aquarium.

Surrounded by sea creatures, Percy felt right at home, almost as if he was living in the ocean. The hours were fair, and the job paid well enough to cover whatever minor expenses he'd had, and he'd felt… better.

He neared an intersection, stopping behind a young couple who were taking a picture while waiting the light turned green. As he surreptitiously watched them, he couldn't help but think back to the times when he and Annabeth would've looked just like—

No. bad thoughts. He'd been through all of that; there was no sense in going back now.

The light changed. Head down, hands stuffed into his sweater, he headed home towards his apartment building. It wasn't anything impressive, but it was his own place, and he was always a little proud of the place. As he neared his apartment building, a ghost of a smile played across his lips at his window, which was easiest the most beautiful window, brightened by the silvery glow of moonlace.

He still hadn't had the chance to thank Calypso for the plant she'd gifted him, all those years ago.

'Eh. Not exactly a garden, but it's better than most of Manhattan.

He was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice the lady with her arms crossed, standing in front of his apartment building until she literally stepped in his way.

"Uh, excuse me miss." He said, trying to go around her, but she wouldn't budge."

"Oh for Hades's sake what's the matter with you?" he asked, annoyance creeping into

his voice, as he looked up at her.

When he saw who it was, he took an immediate step back.

"L-L-Lady Artemis? Why are you standing outside of my apartment?"

"I can see why they call you Seaweed Brain." She said, coldly. "Why would anyone stand outside anyone's dwelling, if not to call upon them?"

"Oh, uhm- did you want to, uhm, come upstairs?" he asked hesitantly, unsure as to her new behavior towards him. He still remembered that strange night six months ago, of how she told him how much she watched him.

Of how much she watched him… Oh shit.

"L-Lady Artemis, I'm sorry I didn't mean—"

"Twelve." she interrupted, her silver eyes boring into his.

"W-What?" he asked.

"The number of times that Miss Jasmine cried herself to sleep after you broke things off with her."

"Oh…" he said, looking down at his feet, not even daring to look up at the goddess.

"I thought you were better than this." She said quietly, and the disappointment in her voice cut him deeper than anything had since Annabeth died.

Her opinion of him _mattered_ , he realized. He had to fix this. He had to make it right somehow.

He looked up and opened his mouth to begin to speak, but she cut him off again.

"I know how much you miss her. Even the Gods have taken notice of your sorrow. But you lead these innocent young women on like a pig to slaughter. Do you know that most of these girls will live a life stuck with the lot of males that continuously harm and take advantage of them? If you were going to start a relationship, then I expected you to _follow through_."

"I'm- I'm sorry, Lady Artemis." He said dejectedly. "I should never have even attempted something resembling a relationship. Maybe I am the same as other men."

"Don't apologize to me. It's certainly not my heart that's in need of repair. And Perseus, Zoe was rarely, if ever, wrong about the character of mortals."

He nodded, understanding her meaning. Maybe not everything was ruined after all.

"See that you don't ruin the lives of more girls either."

"Yes, of course milady." He said solemnly. He wouldn't, because hearing that disappointment was fucking awful.

"Good." She took a step back, starting to glow, and Percy averted his eyes.

With a flash she was gone.

But strangely enough, for the first time in months, he didn't feel lonely.

 **oOo**

 **Thank you for reading. Please review.**

 _Edited: 5/1/2017. Thanks to paradoxed for his beta work._


	2. Azure Evanescence

_**A/N: Thank you all very much for the positive response to Chapter One. Updates for this story will be sporadic, but it**_ **will** _ **be completed.**_

 **Disclaimer: Still don't own Percy Jackson. paradoxed has kindly offered his beta services for this story, and I will be fixing/editing chapters as the story progresses.**

 **oOo**

2

 _Azure Evanescence_

Artemis watched him because he was interesting; because Zoe had once whispered to her that he taught her to love again. In her final words, she'd related how he'd proven beyond a doubt that not everyone was Hercules, that men _could_ be caring, loving, and kind. That perhaps a relationship with a male wasn't doomed to end in failure before it even began.

Artemis had almost snorted at the thought. A relationship? A real, true, honest relationship filled with love and trust? Preposterous … right?

But now, years later, she watched him because sometimes, although she's reluctant to admit it aloud, she sees that maybe her former lieutenant was right.

After all, Zoe was rarely, if ever wrong in her judgements.

She didn't expect to actually care, though. Care about Zoe's analysis being correct, care about the fact that maybe her assessment of males _does_ include exceptions. She didn't want to be proven wrong. She didn't want to care about the wellbeing of any member of the opposite sex.

'There is no need to care for him. He is a mere mortal, his lifetime a brief moment in time. He will be forgotten, as surely as Orion, or Hippolytus.' She thought.

But he _wasn't_ like the others. He wasn't a mere mortal. He was Perseus Jackson, the renowned "Savior of Olympus". And she _cared_ , despite her relentless attempts to convince herself otherwise.

How could she explain away the almost overwhelming need to comfort him after his girlfriend's death? For Hades' sake, she didn't do comfort as a rule.

Or how about the abject disappointment she felt as she watched him break the hearts of chaste girls in a futile quest for love? Or how _relieved_ she'd felt when they talked; when he expressed his regret; when she reassured herself that Zoe hadn't been wrong about him?

Could she really say that he was merely a passing interest in the mortal realm?

This was… new. And maybe slightly concerning, but intriguing all the same. She'd watch him some more, she decided. Maybe even help him find happiness. Zeus knows he deserved some happiness.

She'd never really understood men though. Never understood their whims and wants, quirks and quiddities. How could she help him find happiness if she didn't even understand him? Or recognize exactly what it was that made him so quietly, but quintessentially happy with his fiancé?

Perhaps she could talk to someone who did know.

But who? Who really interacted with the mortals, in an age where Zeus had continuously demanded less contact with their children, with the rest of the world in general?

Aunt Hestia.

For millennia, she'd quietly tended to the sacred fire of Olympus, guarded the hearth and home, and watched mortals go about their daily lives through the sacred fire of Olympus. She would know.

Plus, she always welcomed anyone who happened to take a moment to eat a nice home-cooked meal with her.

And her cooking was _good_.

She hadn't visited her aunt in ages, she realized, a little guilt worming its way into her thoughts as she realized just how much she'd been neglecting her favorite aunt.

" _Sometimes, when I watch Zeus, when I watch the rest of you go about your daily lives, I can't help but wonder what could possibly cause you all to be in_ such _a hurry, Artemis. You're always rushing somewhere, trying to fit everything into one busy day._

 _Maybe sometimes if we just all took a moment, just a singular moment to appreciate the present, even in times of strife or despair, we'd be that much happier in the future."_

Aunt Hestia always gave great advice too.

Artemis smiled, as she took the reins of her chariot, ready to perform her nightly duties.

She'd visit her favorite aunt after the night was done, and maybe she could provide a little more insight into young Percy Jackson.

 **oOo**

Talking to Jasmine was proving to be a much more difficult task than he could've imagined. He'd thought that perhaps a simple message over Skype or a quick phone call would be the end of it. Except, well, every time he'd try calling, her friends would be the ones picking up, and they didn't refrain from letting him know exactly what they thought of him. She hadn't been online on Skype in ages either.

He'd begged and pleaded with her friends to let him talk to her, but was soundly rebuffed every time. There was nothing to it, it was almost as if Jasmine's friends lived with her at this point and were determined to protect her from him.

He winced at that thought. Maybe they were just being good friends. It wasn't as if he'd displayed model "boyfriend" behavior.

So the only course of action left to him was to actually go visit her. She'd left him her address, and he'd been over to her house a couple of times before, during happier times.

That's why he was standing outside of her door, hands stuffed deep in his coat pockets, trying desperately to think of something to say.

'Should've brought carnations, they were her favorite' he thought to himself, as he paced back and forth on her doorstep.

He struggled with himself for a moment, before taking a deep breath and ringing the doorbell.

A portly, middle-aged woman opened the door, wearing an apron with floury hands and a kindly expression.

"Oh, hello! I can't say that I've seen you before, are you looking for someone?"

Percy, surprised by the lack of either screaming obscenities, tearful breakdowns, or merely a slammed door in his face, took a moment to respond.

"Oh, erm, I was looking for Jasmine. Jasmine Adams. Does she live here?"

The woman's face fell slightly for a moment, before saying, "Ah, no, she's my neighbor, she's the house to my right. Are you an admirer of hers or something?"

Percy hesitated.

"Of sorts, I guess."

Her expression turned almost pitying, in a way.

"Oh, well, maybe you'll have some better luck than others. She's had quite a few admirers, you know, but she's been hung up on this boy for a while now. She's been really dejected lately and, well, it's a shame because she used to be so much fun to be around. Why, I remember when she first came to the neighborhood, she went around introducing herself and giving everyone little boxes of chocolate. Even old Mr. Andersen over there opened his door and he never –"

Here, she clapped a hand to her mouth, blushing a little.

"Oh, I don't mean to speak ill of anyone."

"No, no it's okay." Percy said distractedly. "But, uhm, Jasmine… is she okay? Doing alright? Is this maybe not the best time?"

"Oh, she's just dealing with some relationship issues, dearie. I'm sure that it couldn't hurt to go and try to talk to her. Are you a friend of hers?"

"Oh, we met by chance and, well, I wanted to get to know her better and here we are." Percy said, surprising even himself with the half-lie he came up with.

"Ah. Well, maybe you're just the one she needs to cheer her up! Go on, good luck!"

Percy half-smiled. If only she knew.

"Well, thank you, I'll head over there now."

"Best of luck, dearie!" she said, some of her former cheer returning before she closed the door behind him.

He slowly trudged his way towards her house. It was fairly new, the garden clearly well-tended to, and there were even some Christmas lights strung up.

Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself and rang the doorbell, still wondering what exactly he would say.

Before he could really think about it, though, the door opened.

A pretty face, dark brown eyes, and an expression of shock quickly morphing into anger and sorrow greeted him before she attempted to slam the door shut.

On instinct, he stuck out his foot, and the heavy mahogany door crushed his poor foot into the doorframe.

"OUCH!"

Seeing that she couldn't keep him out, Jasmine fled.

Percy hopped around, trying to relieve the burning sensation in his foot. Quickly digging through his bag, he found his emergency baggie of ambrosia and ate a couple crumbs, his foot immediately feeling better. Finally, assured that he could walk with both feet, he pushed open the door carefully and looked around, taking in his surroundings.

Not much had changed. Her workstation was still as cluttered as it had always been. The painting by her niece still hung by the windowsill. And, was that their picture hanging on the wall?

" _C'mon!" she laughed, dragging him into the booth. "Smile! This is all part of the experience, Mr. 'I've never done anything fun in my life before.'"_

" _But Jas, photo booths are so corny." He said, half-heartedly struggling against her while laughing._

 _She merely rolled her eyes, and replied, "Stop whining and just enjoy yourself!"_

" _Fine fine." He grumbled, looking at the camera and trying to fake a smile._

 _It looked like a grimace._

 _Jasmine pouted at him. "At least you could look like you're having fun."_

 _She was just too adorably cute for her own good. He softened and a smaller, more genuine smile played on his lips._

 _And then she put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek just as the camera flashed._

"Interested in the artwork, huh?" a small voice said bitterly behind him.

He whirled around.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice thick, not looking up at him, no doubt still attempting to hide the true extent of her feelings from him.

It killed him.

"I … I – Jas…"

"Well, it's nice to know that you don't even have anything to say to me, after all this time."

He winced.

"I was a fucking idiot, Jas, okay? I messed up. And, I probably should've told you the whole story, but you … you made me _happy_. And you helped me get through it all, and I just … I fucking _used_ you to get past my sorrow and I can't ever forgive myself anyways. You're too fucking good for me, you know that?"

She was silent.

Percy ran his hand through his hair. "Look, half a year ago, my … my fiancé got on a plane back to the States. She never got off. And I … I was a wreck. I was barely functional. Every day I couldn't get past it. I'd see a picture of her and it'd set me off again. And then, three months ago, you walked through the door at the aquarium. I didn't expect anything. It was just another day at work, and I was looking forward to getting absolutely pissed later. But then, in the span of only a few short months, I felt almost whole again. Like a real person. You were fun, funny, beautiful, and you helped me forget. But then I fell off a cliff. I should've never entered into any sort of relationship when I was hurting that much. When I wasn't even sure what I was feeling and all I wanted was for it to stop hurting. It was wrong, and I'm not making any excuses. You hate me. You probably should fucking hate me. Hades, even I hate myself, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll say it a million times. I'm sorry."

She still didn't say anything, and she resolutely refused to look at him.

He sighed, "I'm sorry for bothering you. I just … I just wanted to let you know. About everything. You deserved that much. I owe you my life, Jas, so, you know, if you ever aim to collect that debt, know that I'll always be there to try to make it up to you. Even if I never can."

"Please leave." She said quietly, her voice cracking.

"I … I want to help, Jas."

She whirled around on him, and shouted, "If you want to help me, then please, just leave me alone!"

He backed away, holding up his hands.

"I'll go. And I'm sorry Jas, for all of this. I really, truly, didn't mean for it to turn out this way, and I miss you. Please … forgive me."

He quietly let himself out.

 **oOo**

Winter in New York was beautiful, Percy decided. Snow fell softly all around him, as he stood at a street corner, with his coat zipped and hood flipped over his head, staring up at the Empire Street Building.

It was time for the annual Winter Solstice gathering, and the Gods would be congregating within the hour on Olympus to conduct their yearly meeting. Demigods were already tumbling out of the white vans that ferried them from camp. A couple of the elder campers helped Chiron out in his wheelchair, while most of the newer campers looked around in wonder.

Sometimes he forgot just how many of these demigods were new. And how many had died in the wars.

And of course, the dull ache from _her_ still remained.

They were here for the party of course. The biggest social gathering of the year for demigods. The Winter Solstice Party. Food, music, and most importantly _time_ with their parents, which could be worth more than all the drachmas that they would ever own.

Percy wasn't sure he wanted to go.

It was so peaceful, leaning against a lamppost, reveling in the snow that was quickly accumulating all around him.

 _Sparkling laughter sounded as he bent over, frantically trying to dislodge the snow from underneath his hoodie._

 _Sure, he could've probably managed to will the snow to melt and evaporate from his hoodie. But, just because he was the son of the Sea God didn't mean that he couldn't feel cold and his back was now freezing._

" _Annabeth!" he growled, looking around for his girlfriend only to find her already sprinting away._

 _He gave chase, his longer legs eating up the distance between them. She was extremely agile though, ducking between campers and dodging satyrs who bleated in protest as she evaded him. He finally caught her before she reached the forest, and tackled her to the ground._

 _She giggled, trying to push him off, but he put a stop to all of that when he bent down and captured her lips with his, and she melted in his arms._

 _"Travel safely, and have fun rebuilding Greece." He whispered against her lips._

He didn't want to go upstairs. Mingling, talking, partying, fielding difficult questions about how he was doing. None of it was appealing.

He watched the demigods group together and walk through the doors, no doubt headed towards the annoying security guard with the elevator key, before turning his gaze upwards once more, to where he knew Mt. Olympus was hidden above the clouds.

"The heavens are beautiful tonight, are they not?"

Percy turned, surprised that anyone would address a random hooded stranger. When he got a glimpse of who it was, he relaxed a little and smiled.

"Well, milady, I was considering going on up, but I feel that perhaps it would be … too much for me at this time. Why are _you_ here? Aren't you supposed to be discussing us mortals and what we've done for the past year?"

Artemis chuckled a little, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth as she laughed.

"My, my. Perseus, after all this time, you still forget that we Gods can be in many places at once. Yes, I am currently attending the Olympian Council Meeting, but a part of myself is concentrated here, pondering why you insist on not joining the festivities."

"Oh." Percy responded sheepishly. "So … uhm, talk about anything interesting?"

This time, her laughter rang louder.

"No, Perseus. Nothing of note has occurred in your realm. It is an unimaginably dull meeting. But enough on that. Why do you not wish to join us?"

"Meaning no offense, but I don't think I can handle a night of partying right now. Also, I am afraid I don't have the best of relationships with many gods."

Artemis sobered at that.

"Understandable, understandable." She murmured.

Perhaps understanding his inner turmoil, she changed the subject.

"I am glad, Perseus, that you have talked to those whom you have hurt and wronged."

"Who – Oh, you mean Jas?"

Artemis dipped her head.

"She hasn't responded contacted me since my visit, and she hasn't responded to any of my calls or texts. I'm not sure if I could ever mend that relationship." He looked down, because he still did not feel absolved of all guilt.

"She can understand now, although mayhaps she will refuse to accept your decision. You will see her again, if you so wish."

"Oh, uhm, thank you, Lady Artemis."

Artemis waves off his thanks.

They lapsed into silence.

Percy surreptitiously glanced at the goddess standing beside him. Why was she here, of all places? Didn't she have places to be? People to talk to? The winter solstice was the largest social gathering of the year; surely she had somewhere more important to be? Hades, even just relaxing and enjoying herself with her Huntresses was probably a … more appealing place to be than here, out in the snow with him.

"How … are you, Perseus? Are you really in good health as you have led the world to believe?" the goddess spoke up, almost hesitant, surprising even herself.

"I am … functioning, I s'pose."

"The pain of loss does lessen, Perseus. Do not allow it to consume your being."

"Uhm, Lady Artemis, not to be rude, but why are you always so concerned with me? I mean, I just always imagined, ever since I first met you, that there were so many other things you could be worried about."

Artemis regarded him for a moment. "You have preserved Olympus thrice now. Perhaps even more importantly, you have saved _me_ , confined as I was under the Titan's Curse. You took the burden of the sky from me, to give me freedom and the rest of the world a fighting chance against the Titans. You trusted me, an immortal being who could abandon the battle at any point, to help save you all. Perhaps even more incredibly, the weight of the world did not crush you, and you lived to tell the tale. I do not forget, Perseus Jackson, the deeds you have done, the great lengths you have went to ensure Olympus's continued survival. Perhaps some have forgotten what you have done, but I remember."

Percy rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed.

"I intend to repay the great debt I owe you, Perseus. I am here because I wouldn't be doing a very good job of that if I left you alone out here in the snow."

"It wouldn't have been that bad, Lady Artemis." At her raised eyebrow, he hurried to add, "No really! I'm doing a lot better, but thank you. Really, up until this point I never really felt that any of the Olympians besides my father really _cared_ about my wellbeing."

Realizing what he'd just said, he blushed.

"Uhm, I just mean – "

"Relax, Perseus. We Gods are not known for our concern for mortals. Your sentiments are understandable."

"Thank you, Lady Artemis."

Silence fell between them once more, although it was a comfortable silence. Percy could finally relax by the goddess's side, and it was peaceful.

He hadn't realized how lonely he'd felt, standing out in the snow, watching the Campers laugh and tease each other as they'd joined the party upstairs. He hadn't realized how much he'd needed _this_.

He sighed, his breath coming out in white puffs, disappearing into the night sky. "I … I won't forget her, right? I'm not saying that I'll never give her up, because I have to, and I know she'd want me to, but I'll never forget her, right?"

The goddess regarded him silently for a couple moments. He didn't know what he'd said wrong, but as he was on the verge of apologizing, she reached out and grasped his shoulder.

"Perseus, I have negligible experience with love, but considering your attachment to her, after all this time, even beyond death … You should be fully aware of the answer to your question."

"So … what should I do, then?"

"I cannot tell you what your future actions should be. You want to be happy, and only you alone can decide your path to happiness. It won't be easy, both to forget and to move on, but the world will not seem such a dark place next year. And it will become even easier after that. You will grow older, perhaps find someone new. Live life to the fullest, Perseus, that is all the advice I can give."

He nodded, seemingly too overwhelmed for words. She contemplated him once more, and then, seeming to come to a decision, she held out a hand, beckoning him to take it.

At his questioning gaze, she gave a slight smile and said, "We have discussed such depressing matters for far too long. Allow me to show you a happier place; a place of escape, of enjoyment, of happiness, if only to remind you that the world holds both joy and sorrow in equal parts. It is _my_ escape from the petty troubles of the world, and can be yours should you require it."

He reached out and grasped her hand.

 **oOo**

 **Thank you for reading. Please review.**


	3. Golden Morning

_**A/N: My profile will now contain status updates on this story, including any news/significant concerns regarding the fic, the next chapter's status, acknowledgements, and a word count estimator. Once again, the positive response to this fic is overwhelming, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.**_

 **Disclaimer: Still don't own Percy Jackson.**

 **oOo**

3

 _Golden Morning_

He hadn't expected much from the trip when he agreed. He'd assumed it'd be a brief, forgettable visit to some ancient monument, or perhaps a quiet setting to hold a comforting conversation, when he took her hand.

Decades later, he'd look back on this visit and _remember._ Remember the trees, the ocean, and the beautiful scenery. Most of all, he'd remember _her,_ how _beautiful_ and … well … natural she was, with very human virtues and vices. He glimpsed her emotions, her feelings, all those intrinsic mortal qualities that she hid on a day to day basis. In those moments, she wasn't an aloof goddess, she was just… Artemis.

He hadn't realized that this was the _moment_ when everything … shifted. When his perspective changed. When his new life began. For the rest of his life, he'd remember the moment as an opportunity, a singular point in time which would alter his entire lifetime.

He was quite delighted to have taken advantage of it.

 **oOo**

For a moment, he was hit by a strong sense of déjà vu as he stared around at the picturesque scene around him. The birds, the trees, the beautiful garden, even the majestic sunrise in the east; they all reminded him of his past. Of two weeks lost at sea, filled with bittersweet regret and happiness.

 _"Percy, would you mind terribly in helping me replant these?" Calypso asked, looking up for a moment from her efforts at repotting a couple sprigs of moonlace._

 _Never one to deny her anything, he immediately arose from where he'd been lying on the bench, staring at her._

 _Even after what felt like weeks now, he still couldn't stop staring._

 _"What do you need me to do, Calypso?"_

 _"Nothing too strenuous, my brave one. If you could just hold these for me while I dig, that would be immensely helpful."_

 _He did as he was told, standing off to the side as she worked. It wasn't very long before she was finished, and Percy handed her the plants once more._

 _"Thank you, Percy." She said, flashing him a radiant smile._

 _Dazzled, he couldn't stop staring, and of course she noticed, once she was finished gardening._

 _She never commented on it though. Most of the time she'd ignore it, although sometimes she'd simply pull away from him, leaving him wondering what he'd done wrong._

 _"Thanks, Percy." She said softly after she'd finished planting the last sprig. She gave him a fleeting hug, squeezing him tightly, before running off towards the beach again._

 _He watched her go wistfully, wondering what he could do._

He was distracted by the twittering.

Various birds flew down towards his companion, chirping delightfully as they landed on her arms, and a rare smile graced her face.

Artemis wasn't renowned for her beauty; that was always Aphrodite's claim to fame, but in the soft, golden light of the sunrise, with a genuine, radiant smile on her face, birds circling around her head, and an expression of pure freedom and happiness on her face as she tilted her head to look at him, he thought that he'd never seen anything more … exquisitely enchanting.

Of course, he destroyed that dangerous thought immediately, and smiled back awkwardly.

"Where are we, Lady Artemis?"

"Well, Perseus, allow me to welcome you to my home."

"Your … home?"

"Yes. Delos. The place where I was born."

Percy's eyes widened, as he took a closer look at his surroundings.

He'd heard the stories, of course. Who hadn't heard the tales about the floating island in the sea? About how Hera, filled with rage and jealousy, prevented Leto from giving birth on land?

But the descriptions almost always depicted Delos as miraculous because it _wasn't land_. He never expected something as gorgeous; as picturesque as what he was seeing.

"Wow, uhm, your place really reminds me of Ogygia." Percy blurted out. Realizing what he'd just said, he quickly tried to backpedal, "I-I mean, not that I think this place is a glorified cage or anything like that, but … it's really beautiful and uh the nature, I mean …"

Artemis's sparkling laughter stopped his rambling. "No, no, Perseus, I am flattered that you believe my home is as beautiful as the island of Calypso. I have not visited Ogygia in aeons, but I still remember the magnificence of the island."

Percy smiled, remembering his own time on Ogygia again.

Artemis, meanwhile, gently raised her arms, allowing the birds that had perched themselves on her shoulder to fly off as they returned to the woods. Turning around, she saw Percy yawn, clearly exhausted.

"Sorry, Lady Artemis, I just haven't slept in, uh, eighteen hours or so. Is there any place in particular that I should see while I'm here?"

Artemis waved off his apologies, instead simply leading him towards a homely log cabin tucked into the woods. "No matter, Perseus. Rest. There will be time to explore everything when you are more awake and alert. I have promised you happier memories, and I do not plan on failing to deliver."

Entering the cabin, he took a brief look at his surroundings, finding a surprisingly comfortable and cozy living space. Artemis pushed him towards the large, comfortable bed that dominated one corner of the room.

Percy protested, "But, Lady Artemis, where will you sleep then?"

She chuckled once more. "I am not in need of rest Perseus. The bed is yours."

Passing him a set of fresh clothes, she left the cabin in order to give him some privacy.

The clothes were, surprisingly, extremely comfortable, even more so than what he wore on a regular basis. Perhaps Artemis would let him keep them?

He crawled under the covers soon after he finished changing, and was asleep almost immediately.

 **oOo**

She hadn't felt this happy in a long time, she realized. She'd been _content_ with her Hunters, comfortable within her attendants in a way much like family, but her life with them sometimes lacked the same _joy_ and the sheer novelty of what little time she'd spent with Perseus. She marveled at the realization that she hadn't felt this carefree, this trusting of another mortal since Hippolytus was killed. This was, after all, the first time that a mortal had set foot in her home in millennia.

Absentmindedly sidestepping a large branch lying on the ground, she wondered what she'd show him. He needed a distraction; something he would find amusing and entertaining.

'Probably something to do with the sea.' She decided. Perhaps she could show him the coral cove that rested just off the beach of the island. Or perhaps –

"Artemis?" a surprised voice asked from behind her.

She jumped at the sudden intrusion on her thoughts.

"Oh, Mother!" she said, "You surprised me."

"My my," Leto teased, "Where are the Goddess of the Hunt's renowned reflexes and observational skills?"

Artemis blushed faintly. "Hush, mother. I simply did not expect to be ambushed in my home."

Leto laughed. "You're becoming admirably adept at coming up with excuses, my dear. After all, this is the first time I've ever succeeded in surprising you, and I've tried it many a time here."

Artemis shrugged. "I was distracted."

"Oh? By what?"

"I'll thank you to not pry into my thoughts, Mother." Artemis shot back.

Leto immediately adopted a hurt expression. "Am I no longer privy to your thoughts and worries, Artemis? And here I thought that you would be better than Apollo!"

The unpleasant feeling of guilt rose in her chest again. "I was just … thinking and planning, Mother."

Her mother's hurt expression vanished, to be replaced by a wide grin.

"Planning? Whatever are you planning for? The extermination of the male species?"

"On the contrary, I invited a mortal here, and I wanted to show him something to take his mind off a terrible tragedy."

Leto did not miss the pronoun.

"Him? Did you just say him? Who is it!? And however did he manage to impress you enough for you to bring him here? It's been, what, a couple millennia since you last brought a male here? Who are you and what have you done to Phoebe Artemis?"

Artemis glared at her mother. "His name is Perseus Jackson, Mother, and for everything he has done for us Olympians, I felt as though it would only be appropriate to repay him in his hour of need."

"Ah yes, I heard about the poor boy's story. But, however did _you_ get involved with him?"

"We have always been acquainted, Mother."

Her mother chuckled. "You're not going to get out of answering this one that easily, my dear."

Artemis glared at her. "Fine! You want to know how? Since I became acquainted with him all those years ago he has proven himself to be different from the world of men out there. I have watched for years now, and he has never given me reason to doubt this opinion. He saved me from the Titan's Curse when the world was in danger of returning to the so-called "Golden Age." For that, I owe him a great debt, and all this is discounting his actions that led to the defeats of both Kronos and Gaea, the two greatest threats to Olympus since its founding millennia again. Thus, is it truly out of the question that I would bring him here? If only to clear my conscience and repay a long overdue debt?"

Leto held up her hands quickly. "Whoa, there Artemis. I was just curious. I didn't mean to offend."

Artemis sighed. "I just hate the assumptions you make, Mother. Every single time I've brought a male here, the same questions are asked over and over again. And yet, all these years later, I still remain true to my vows. Perseus merely represents novelty. I wish for something _different_ , at times. Different than life in the Hunt, as idyllic and wonderful as it is."

Leto studied her shrewdly. "Will I be able to meet him?"

Artemis shrugged. "He is sleeping in my Hunting cabin right now. Perhaps you will get to meet him once he wakes up."

"I'd like that." Leto smiled.

 **oOo**

Someone was shaking him, roughly. Still somewhat groggy with sleep, Percy blearily opened his eyes to find a blond man wearing some of the most expensive-looking sunglasses staring at him, arms crossed.

He was suddenly wide awake now, for he recognized who it was.

Apollo fixed him with an intimidating stare. "Bro, what in the world are you doing in my sister's bed?"

Finally taking note of his surroundings, Percy realized just how much trouble he was in.

He frantically held up his hands. "It's not what it looks like, Apollo! I swear! Your sister invited me here after the solstice and then directed me here when I got tired. Nothing happened, dude!"

One eyebrow twitched above the sunglasses minutely.

The silence stretched on, and Percy fidgeted, unsure of what he could say or do to rectify the situation.

Thankfully, Apollo broke the awkward silence for him.

"You're a pretty cool dude, and my dad likes you, so I'll let you off with a warning here, but don't think I'm not watching Percy. Apollo sees everything."

"Uhm, yeah … yes … dude?"

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go have a word with my dear sister." Turning, he disappeared outside.

'Shit.' Percy thought. He didn't mean to get Artemis into trouble with her brother. Gods he should've thought about this earlier. What the Hades was he thinking sleeping here? On Delos? Now Artemis would take the brunt of Apollo's anger, and for what? Because she tried to help him? Because she was kind to him, when he'd been at his lowest?

He looked around, locating his clothes neatly folded in the corner of a room, and was about to change quickly and bolt out the door to find the immortal twins when the door opened again.

Turning towards the door, he half-expected Apollo to be back and ready to make him a porcupine. So he was surprised by the appearance of an elegant lady wearing a kindly expression whose eyes lit up mischievously at the sight of him.

"Ah! The famous hero himself! At last!" she exclaimed, raising her arms as if in celebration.

Percy … didn't know if he was being mocked or praised.

"Oh, how rude of me. I should introduce myself. My name is Leto." She said, smiling.

Percy's eyes widened. "Lady Artemis's mother?"

She nodded. "The one and only."

"Oh …" Percy said, taking a moment to absorb the information. "Uhm, well, my name is Percy Jackson."

Leto inclined her head. "You need no introduction Perseus Jackson. You have been under the microscope of immortals for quite a few years now."

Percy shifted uncomfortably. Being under the scrutiny of immortals was _not_ beneficial to his health, as far as he was aware.

"Anyways, I just wanted to meet you! I couldn't believe it when my daughter told me that she'd brought a male acquaintance home. What did you do to change her!?"

"I … uhh … I did nothing …?"

"Oh, come now, don't be like that! She never used to be interested in any man unless she was planning their murder or something!"

Percy gave a nervous laugh. "No, seriously, Lady … uh Leto"

"Oh, I'm no lady. Please, just call me Leto."

"Please, Leto, believe me, I did absolutely nothing special!"

"But surely you must h-"

The door banged open.

"I swear to Hades, Apollo, if you don't stop badgering me with your absurd interrogation right now I will make your life extremely miserable for the foreseeable future." Artemis growled as she walked inside.

Taking in the scene in front of her, she immediately turned her glare towards her mother. "What are you doing, Mother?"

"Just meeting your b – err … friend? You did mention that it'd be alright if I came to see who he was."

Artemis pressed a hand to her forehead. "Yes yes Mother, now have you finished?"

"Uhh …" Leto paused. "Not really. Did you need him for something?"

"Yes. Well, more specifically, I need you. Please, go talk some sense into my brother before I strangle him."

Leto rolled her eyes but bade Percy farewell before disappearing off to the forest, with Artemis watching her go.

"Are you alright?" he asked, tentatively.

Surprised out of her contemplation, the goddess turns and looks at him. "I am fine, Perseus. Did my dim-witted brother harm you in any way?"

Percy smiled. "Nothing happened to me Lady Artemis. You don't have to worry about me, I'm perfectly safe."

The barest twitch of her lips. "Perseus, if there is one adjective to describe the life you have lived, safe is the one I would never choose."

He laughed. "Too true, milady. Too true."

Artemis stepped outside the door, and beckoned to him. "Well, are you coming?"

"Coming? Where? Am I going home?"

Artemis paused for a moment. "Well … if you would like, I could send you back to Manhattan, but I was rather hoping to show you around my home. There is this beautiful cove with many sea creatures just off the island that I am sure you would enjoy visiting."

"Oh! I would love to!" he responded enthusiastically.

She gifted him with a rare smile. "Wonderful. We may follow this path down to the beach."

Percy beamed, and accompanied her down the path.

 **oOo**

Two days later, he was standing in his apartment once more, putting on his aquarium uniform, prepared to return to work.

He wondered how he could possibly get through the day.

Delos was _stunning_. The ocean, the sea creatures, the untainted wildlife. Everything embodied _perfection_ , or as near perfection as could be. And it was clear how happy Artemis was, on the island, with no duties or troubles to contend with. Sometimes he wondered why she didn't just stay there forever.

He wouldn't have expected it when he left, but just seeing the island; seeing everything it had to offer … well, it had made him blissfully content for those precious few hours. It had made him forget all that had plagued him for the past half year.

Of course, seeing how carefree and untroubled she could be was also exhilarating. It was a far cry from her reserved persona which he'd seen so much of, even in the past half year.

 _Bzzz!_

Frowning, Percy checked his phone. Hovering under the name Jasmine Adams were the words: " _Saturday. 10 AM. Central Park. I need to talk to you."_

The pit that had been stuck in his stomach for weeks now loosened slightly. Gathering his wits, Percy quickly typed back in the affirmative.

Then, as he left his apartment, he turned his face towards the heavens and muttered, "Thank you Lady Artemis, and I won't let you down."

 **oOo**

The week dragged by slowly. Even the presence of so many sea creatures could not distract Percy from the newfound monotony of his job. His visit to Delos, with all the beautify and grace from the island, combined with Jasmine's message, had completely changed him.

Saturday finally arrived in a gust of wind and drizzling rain.

He took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, shaved, and quickly threw on a T-shirt and sweatpants. Grabbing his keys, he headed outside, ducking into his car quickly to avoid the rain.

As he drove to Central Park, he turned over in his head what he'd say. What would happen. Despite Artemis's assurances, half of him still expected a calm, cold termination of their friendship.

He pulled into a parking space, and entered the park on foot, cursing his lack of foresight for he had brought no umbrella. Still, the rain was light, and he found that it was actually quite pleasant and soothing.

Slowly, he meandered his way towards the park bench that they used to sit at. They used to sit there during the fall, listening to music, holding hands, enjoying the beautiful swirl of color all around them, and watching little kids chase each other through the piles of leaves.

The quiet companionship and comfort she brought … Percy had never realized just _how_ much she did for him.

As he rounded the corner, he saw her, already sitting on the bench. Like him, she had no umbrella. She also seemed to revel in the rain. Her arms were outstretched and her eyes closed, seemingly luxuriating in the tiny droplets of water peppering her face.

He paused to stare, if only for a moment. The scene was picturesque; nothing disturbed the silence and serenity of the park on that rainy Saturday morning.

That moment, however, was broken when Jasmine opened her eyes again and, seeing him, lowered her hands quickly, assuming a normal, if rigid, sitting position, her face morphing into a neutral expression.

He sighed and approached slowly, sitting down on the other side of the bench, maintaining a safe distance between them.

There was silence for a while, each contemplating what to say, neither having any idea where to begin.

Finally, Percy gave a pained laugh. "This isn't getting anywhere. Jas, you know how I feel about everything. You know, on the way over, I thought about how we used to sit here all the time. There wasn't much talking, and there was barely any laughing or joking around, but I was happiest … _with you_. You were my rock, Jas, and now I'm wondering how on Earth I missed that."

Her eyes glistened, and it wasn't from the rain. "I looked back a lot, too, Percy. Wondering if I'd done something wrong. Wondering if maybe I wasn't forward enough; if I should've made my intentions clearer."

"Your … intentions?"

"I really liked you Percy. I _still_ like you. I wanted, no _want_ , to discover what we could be. Just how far we could go."

He sighed heavily, but looked her straight in the eye.

"I – I can't. I – look you're beautiful, smart, funny, and a great friend. Anyone would be insanely lucky to have you. I think that you're probably too good for me. But I just… it's still too soon, you know? And – and until I can figure myself out, I don't want to … do this again. I don't want to hurt you again."

She stared up at him for a moment, before her head drooped in dejection.

"Percy … I – I do understand. I'm sorry for everything you've endured. I couldn't even imagine how I'd feel if _you_ had died, so I can't say I know how you must have felt; how you must be feeling right now."

"It's okay Jas. It's getting better, and you're a big reason why."

She gave him a small watery smile at that. "Thank you Percy."

Squaring her shoulders, as if composing herself once more, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek; a soft peck, nothing more. Her lips burning an imprint into his cheek.

"Just friends, for now then?"

Percy smiled softly at her.

"I'd love to. Thank you so much."

The rain fell harder around them, but neither noticed. She leaned against him, he wrapped an arm around her, and they relaxed in peaceful tranquility.

Everything would be alright.

 **oOo**

Whistling a jovial tune, Percy headed up to his apartment. He was soaked to the bone, but none of it mattered because things were finally looking up for him.

When he reached the door to his apartment, he got his second surprise of the door. Pinned to the door was a note, written in elegant script on a thick, creamy sheet of parchment.

 _Perseus,_

 _I see that Zoe was not incorrect about you after all. I'm glad you have reconciled with Miss Adams._

 _I hope you are well. Your stay on Delos was the most enjoyable couple of days I have experienced in centuries. Should you need anything, if only to confide, I will be available. Simply send me an Iris Message, and you will find me._

 _I'll see you soon._

 _~A_

He smiled brightly as he pocketed the note.

He'd have to go looking for his stash of drachmas.

 **oOo**

 **Thank you for reading. Please review.**


	4. Silver Linings

_A/N: This one… took a lot. It's probably the most difficult chapter to write by far, and not one I'm totally satisfied with. I think it's simply because in this chapter I attempt to reconcile the fact that the impossible may exist in the realm of possibility. I'll let you guys figure out what I mean with the chapter. Enjoy!_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson. I've only done some preliminary editing on this, so there may be mistakes that will be fixed in the future.**

 **oOo**

4

 _Silver Linings_

Spring came and passed quickly, as Persephone returned to the world above.

The earth blossomed into life, and Percy was caught up in the beauty of it. Even during the weekdays, when he worked long hours at the aquarium, he still tried to find time whenever possible to walk by Central Park to see the cherry blossom trees. Sometimes, he'd meet Jasmine there, and they'd buy coffee and simply relax on what had become their bench, chatting about nothing in particular and just enjoying each other's company.

And then on weekends there were Iris-Messages with Artemis, who'd even provided him with a whole new stash of drachmas once his ran out. He was _still_ pretty shocked that she actually IM'ed him on a semi-regular basis. Although their conversations rarely strayed beyond their daily lives, there was a certain comfort he felt whilst in her presence. More surprisingly, she would let down her guard from time to time, allowing him to forget that she was a goddess, aloof and detached from the rest of the world. It was during those moments that he'd occasionally catch a glimpse of the Artemis that he'd first become acquainted with on Delos; the girl who was witty and beautiful and carefree, who invited him to her home and made him forget his sorrows for a precious moment.

For some reason, even their most prosaic conversations never failed to bring a smile to his face. He was unreasonably happy, and he couldn't really understand why. Something about just being able to see the human side of her typically impenetrable immortal facade made him positively _giddy_.

It was funny how everything came full circle. One year ago, tragedy had nearly destroyed him. Although he had yet to recover, the experience led him to discover new happiness; his silver lining of sorts. And now he wasn't even sure if he wanted things to have been different.

 **oOo**

"O' Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, show me Lady Artemis." Percy intoned, throwing his second-to-last drachma into the rainbow. He'd have to look into methods of obtaining more of the ancient coins. He couldn't keep taking Artemis's charity, no matter how much she assured him that money really didn't matter to a goddess.

The rainbow shimmered, and Artemis appeared in her usual silver hunting gear. She was talking to someone off screen, and didn't notice the call until her companion did.

"Percy! I haven't seen in you in months! How are you?" Thalia exclaimed, stepping into his field of view.

Artemis turned as well, and her expression brightened, although she looked surprised by the call as well.

"Hey Thals, Lady Artemis. I've been alright." He responded, trying and failing to keep a smile on his face.

Thalia stepped closer, gazing at him shrewdly. "Are you alright, Percy? Is everything okay?"

"Oh … uhm, I'm okay. Just … just a little tired, is all."

Thalia's eyes narrowed, but she didn't push the issue.

"Well, I haven't seen you in ages, Seaweed Brain! You should come visit sometime!"

Percy perked up a little. "I'd love to, but you should come visit me. Stop by sometime when you're in New York!"

Thalia turned to her mistress. "Perhaps we could make a detour to New York on our trip up to Maine next month?"

Artemis considered the matter for only the briefest of moments, before nodding. "Permission granted, Thalia."

Thalia smiled, and waved at Percy. "Sorry, Perce, but we're setting up camp right now and I promised Clara I would help her with the armor tent. I'll see you soon alright?"

Percy grinned. "I'm looking forward to it. We can go to that cheeseburger place again, like old times."

Thalia nodded, before running off.

He took a deep breath, and turned to the goddess.

"Lady Artemis … uhm - well it's been a while and - today is just -"

"Stay there Perseus. Give me a moment." Artemis interrupted, before slashing her hand through the Mist, her image fading away.

Percy frowned at the abrupt termination of the call. She hadn't called him in a couple weeks. That, in and of itself, was strange; they'd had regular weekly calls for nearly half a year now. And she'd certainly never prematurely ended a call. He wasn't ashamed to admit that this disappointment hit him harder than it really should have. Out of all days, today was … well … today was a day that he really could've used a nice, long conversation.

Oh well, she probably had better things to do than talk to some _male_ , no matter how friendly they were. Sighing, he turned away from the tiny little fountain that he'd had installed for the express purpose of Iris-Messaging.

That's when he noticed silvery light emanating from his hallway, and his spirits lifted.

Padding out into the hallway, he found Artemis looking through the photos he'd hung up, studying each as carefully as one would study a famous painting.

"Lady Artemis." He said quietly, distracting her from her reverie. "What are you doing here?"

Turning, she studied him for a moment, before saying simply, "Something is bothering you, Perseus."

Percy frowned. "My Lady?"

"I have known you, truly known you, for a year now Perseus. I can see that you are unhappy. There is something bothering you, something that's making you miserable."

He stared at her for a moment, before slowly bowing his head.

"Today would have been our anniversary. Annabeth's and mine." he admitted.

Artemis eyes widened for a moment, before she quickly abandoned the pictures and walked closer to him.

Seeing the slump in his shoulders, and hands curled into fists, betraying his inner pain and turmoil, she hesitated, before awkwardly enveloping him in her arms.

Percy stiffened, raising his head to see Artemis's rapidly reddening face as she hugged him.

For a moment, he stood frozen, shocked that she was hugging him. _Lady Artemis was hugging him._ Once he had recovered from his shock though, he, carefully avoiding touching anything he shouldn't, wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her back.

For a second, neither moved, content to let the moment last forever. Unfortunately, reality quickly asserted itself.

"Thank you, milady." Percy said quietly, as they broke apart.

Although she was blushing faintly, her voice didn't waver. "I'm so sorry, Perseus, that I wasn't able to Iris-Message you lately, but the increase in monster activity has meant more work than usual for the Hunt, and winter solstice preparations are already underway. Zeus has been working everyone into the ground."

She cringed, for even she could recognize that those sounded like awful excuses. It was August, for Hades's sake. Who prepared for the _winter_ solstice in August?

He waved her off. "It's alright Lady Artemis. You being here today is more than enough."

They were quiet for a moment, and Artemis began to once again study the pictures on the wall.

"I- I try not to think about what happened, you know. The what ifs, the possibilities, all those thoughts just kind of destroy me a little bit more each time. But I can't. I just … I still miss her so much."

Artemis turned to see Percy tracing the frame of yet another photograph; this one depicting a laughing Percy with his arms around Annabeth as they relaxed on the deck of a cruise ship.

"Perseus -"

He turned away, rubbing at his eyes, taking a deep breath before turning back and attempting a smile.

"It's getting better though." He said bravely, his voice scratchy. "I don't think I've said it enough, but you … you make everything better for me Lady Artemis. And, you being here today just… it means a lot that you came in person. And I … I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been there for me these past few months. I … uhm … I just wanted to say: thanks for all your support. And, I was.. I was just thinking … I mean –"

He paused for a moment, as if to gather his courage. Then, tentatively, ever so tentatively, he reached up, giving her plenty of time to move away.

She couldn't bring herself to move. It was as if her limbs had suddenly been disconnected from her brain, for no matter how hard she tried she simply could not shift or stir. And maybe she didn't _want_ to move. Frozen to the spot, she only watched as his face grew closer and closer, until he filled her vision and all she could see was _him_. His hair was messy, his eyes a little bloodshot, but there was something to his expression that made her heart… race. And everything around them faded away, because there was only him and all she could think about was how beautiful those green eyes looked; whirling pools of sorrow and joy and bitterness all jumbled together into something terribly alluring. Her heart continued to beat faster than a jackrabbit in her chest and she could almost _feel_ that this was it; that everything would be different after this moment.

But then, when he was mere inches away, he veered off, his lips brushing her cheek, a quick embrace, and then he stepped back, looking anywhere except at her.

For a moment, she stared at him, unable to react, to respond. Then, as her emotions caught up to her, as she processed what had just occurred, her heart _twinged_. Was that anger that she felt? Regret? Sadness? It was all so confusing and oh.. she was not ready for this. She was not ready for this at all and she needed to get away to maybe figure it all out.

Or perhaps just to run away.

"I … I must take care of my duties now, Perseus."

With that, she flashed away.

 **oOo**

"And she just ran away, and didn't come back?" Jasmine asked, nursing the cup of coffee in her hands as she leaned back in her chair.

"Yeah." Percy replied glumly, staring down at the table. He'd just finished retelling how Artemis had disappeared that fateful night, with some unavoidable omissions about Artemis's true identity and the entire existence of the mythological world.

"Look, Percy, you know I want you to be happy right?" Jasmine said slowly, turning the coffee cup in her hands.

He looked up.

"Yeah…" he said, trailing off slowly as he wondered what she was trying to say.

Jasmine looked at him over the top of her coffee cup.

"But… what I'm wondering is...I guess what I'm trying to say is why couldn't it have been _me_?"

"Sorry?" Percy said, unsure of what Jasmine was implying.

"Why are you chasing off after some unattainable girl? I still care about you, Percy. And you said that you weren't ready for a relationship anyways." There was a hint of accusation in her voice as she looked at him.

He realized instantly where she was coming from.

"It's… it's not like that Jas."

"Like what, exactly? Because as far as I can tell, you're actively _pursuing_ a relationship with someone whom you yourself acknowledge has never shown any interest in a relationship at all. For all you know, she could be into girls."

Percy nearly spit out his coffee. "No, no I'm pretty sure she isn't into girls in that way, Jas."

"Either way," she said, crossing her arms. "You lied to me. You said that you weren't ready for a relationship, but clearly you are. I don't get it, Percy. Was everything a lie? Was your visit to my house a lie? What about that meeting in Central Park?"

He buried his head in his hands.

'This is not the time for this. This can't be happening _now_.' He thought.

"No, it's not like that Jas. Please... I'm not _trying_ to hurt you, and I'm- I don't want to lie to you. I care about you, Jas, perhaps more than anyone else, but I… she's just been around for forever, and I dunno I just feel happy around her. Not that… not that I don't feel happy around you, you brighten everything, but she makes me feel like… warm and fuzzy or something on the inside. Sometimes I'm practically giddy in her presence, and well I guess somewhere along the line I… I just couldn't stop myself."

"So.. so there isn't really a chance for us, is there?" she asked quietly, her lower lip trembling ever so slightly.

"Jas…" he reached out, but she drew her hand back.

"I… I have a meeting to get to, Percy. I'll - I'll see you around."

"Hey, wait Jas -"

She practically ran out of the cafe and didn't look back.

He sank back into his char.

"Well, fuck."

 **oOo**

Something was wrong with Lady Artemis, Thalia decided. She'd first noticed it a few weeks ago, when Lady Artemis had returned from her duties. She had been on guard duty, of sorts, and so had not investigated closely, but if she wasn't mistaken… Lady Artemis had been… crying?

That probably wasn't right. Thalia had only known Lady Artemis to cry twice, ever. Both times were during the ritual to give fallen Huntresses the last rites.

But… in the following weeks… Thalia had never seen her mistress so agitated or distracted. They were journeying further east, and Lady Artemis had been dragging her feet the entire way there.

Something had _happened_ , but whenever Thalia or any of the other Huntresses attempted to figure out the root of the problem, they were brushed aside. Their subtle inquiries had been mostly ignored. Day by day Lady Artemis grew more agitated and distracted.

Perhaps it was time for a _different_ approach.

So here she was, lurking outside Lady Artemis's tent, waiting for her mistress to return from her nightly duties. She'd settled in a tree, which turned out to be a rather dangerous proposition since she'd nearly fallen out of it several times when she'd nodded off.

Suddenly, while she was shifting around on the tree trying to obtain a more comfortable position, the silvery light of the moon just about to fall below the horizon appeared to brighten drastically, before a silver chariot pulled by deer flew down from the sky swiftly, landing with barely a sound on the forested ground. Her mistress climbed out slowly, before taking care of the chariot and deer. Once she finished taking care of her companions, she slowly trudged towards her tent. Thalia swiftly descended the tree, and was just about to run after Artemis when…

 _CRACK!_

Gods be damned, she'd stepped on a stick. A freaking stick of all things, perhaps the most elementary tracking mistakes that one could make.

Artemis, despite her sluggish appearance, whirled around with the reflexes of a goddess, her hunting knives magically appearing in her hands, only to relax when she realized who it was.

"Thalia? What are you doing blundering around the forest at this time of night? Is everything alright?"

Thalia turned redder at the mention of her blunder. "Uhm, everything's fine milady. But… uh… can I… speak with you about something?"

Artemis frowned. "Are you absolutely certain nothing is wrong, Thalia? You know you may speak with me on any subject matter; that there are no secrets between us, right?"

Thalia shook her head. "I'm alright, milady, really. I just.. I needed to ask you about something… in private?"

Artemis' frown deepened, but she didn't comment further, merely pushing open the flap to her tent and wordlessly gesturing for Thalia to enter.

"So, what is it you wished to discuss with me, my lieutenant? In private no less."

"Well.. it… it's you milady."

Artemis stiffened. "And, pray tell, what is there to discuss about myself?"

Her voice was cold, colder than Thalia had ever known it to be.

"Milady, I'm… I'm not trying to… all I want is to help you. There's something wrong, and I'm just worried - we're ALL worried about you."

Artemis turned away.

"I am fine, Thalia. There is nothing troubling me. You needn't have worried."

Thalia took a deep breath. This was it; she could very well not even remain a Huntress if this went south.

"Milady, you said that there would be no secrets between us. But… there's something you're not telling me and I know it. I just, everything's not been the same since… since you came back to camp crying that night. I… I just want to help you. We _all_ want to help you."

Artemis clenched her fists, and whirled around, her silver eyes blazing, and for a moment Thalia legitimately feared that she was about to spend the rest of her life wandering the forest as some furry animal.

But Artemis merely laughed. It was a harsh sound, filled with hurt and bitterness and despair that was quite unlike her usual effervescent laughter.

"Perhaps you could ask your dear friend Perseus Jackson, then, eh?!"

Astonished, Thalia could only reply with an unintelligible "Huh?"

Almost as quickly as the anger appeared, Artemis's mask slipped back into place as she walked towards her tent flap.

"It's nothing to concern yourself over, Thalia. Now go, you have your duties to attend to, and I require rest."

Too stunned to further her questioning, she acquiesced to the dismissal and left the tent.

What in Hades could have possibly caused Lady Artemis to harbor resentment towards Percy of all people? He was the one and only male that she had spoken positively about for a long while.

Shaking her head as she entered her tent, she dug around in her belongings for a drachma. She had an Iris-Message to send.

 **oOo**

" _O' Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering."_

A flash of gold.

" _Show me Perseus Jackson."_

Her little artificial rainbow by a nearby stream shimmered, and familiar messy jet-black hair appeared.

His attention appeared to be elsewhere, his face lit by a pale glow emanating from outside the field of view of the call. He didn't seem to notice her.

"Percy." she called, attempting to get his attention. When he didn't stir, she grew angry.

"PERSEUS JACKSON! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME!" She steamed.

Percy jumped about a foot in the air, sending a remote control flying. Whirling around, he finally noticed the mini-rainbow hovering a few feet from him.

"What in the absolute fuck was that for, Thalia?"

Thalia ignored his question.

"What did you do to Lady Artemis?"

Percy's brow furrowed and he turned, walking away.

"You don't know what you're talking about Thalia."

"No, Percy, you don't get to get away with that. The last time I saw Lady Artemis acting normally was during that call you made, where we talked about going to New York. Then Lady Artemis disappeared for a few hours, and when she came back nothing was the same again. I know this has something to do with you, so you better answer me or I… I swear by Zeus that I'll.."

"Or what? Huh? Let me tell you something, Thalia, you have absolutely no clue about what really happened, so if you could kindly leave me alone…"

"Oh really? I have no idea, huh? Then, by the gods, _enlighten_ me, Percy, as to why she came back crying? How many possible ways is there to make a _goddess_ cry?"

Percy stopped dead in his tracks, before slowly turning around.

"W-What did you just say?" His voice cracked.

"She was crying, when she returned that night you Iris-Messaged us." Thalia said quietly.

"N-No way." Percy said, his voice hushed and filled with shock and wonder.

"Percy… what happened? Tell me." Her voice was calmer, although she had no real idea what she was asking. She didn't even know if she wanted to know the answer.

"I- I- don't - What in Hades I never thought…" Percy stammered.

"Just tell me Percy. Tell me what happened. I swear I won't like… blow up at you or something."

"O-Okay. So, uh, that day was… would've been our anniversary. Annabeth and I, you know, under the lake all those years ago. I'd been feeling pretty depressed the entire day, and I just wanted someone to talk to, so I Iris-Messaged Lady Artemis because… well, we used to talk a lot."

"You did?" Thalia asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I was as confused as anyone about that. But, anyways, Lady Artemis noticed my mood that night and actually came over to my place to… to help me. I was super shocked that she could read me that well, but she really did help me a lot, you know?"

"So then what on Earth could've made her so upset?"

Percy looked down.

"I- everything happened so fast, Thalia. I don't really know…"

"Did anything happen at all?" Thalia asked impatiently.

"She hugged me that night, did I tell you that?"

Thalia paused, shaking her head.

"Yeah she hugged me. I was probably frozen stiff for like an hour or something, but it was really… warm. Really nice."

"Wow… I never thought… wow." Thalia mused.

"Yeah and then.. it's all a blur but I just remember hugging her again and then she said she had to attend to her duties and she just like ran off."

"And you didn't do _anything_?" Thalia asked.

"I just thought she was angry at me for hugging her, because of her reputation and everything. I thought that's why she ran off. But now you're telling me that she was crying. And I can't really figure out what I could have possibly done to make her feel that way."

"Percy… I can't believe I'm even asking this, but do you have feelings for her?"

"W-What? No! Of course not. And besides, even if I did, there's no way she'd feel the same way either. She's an eternal maiden, leading a group of eternal maidens, which you're a part of. And what does that have to do with _her_ crying anyways?"

Thalia ignored his question.

"I'm just trying to figure out if you did anything that would make Lady Artemis feel… I don't know, sad or angry with herself or ashamed. And if you do actually like her, that may have affected your view of the night."

"I-I don't, Thalia. Not those kinds of feelings."

"You're.. one hundred percent sure right?"

"Thalia of cour… wait wha-"

A faint buzzing noise could be heard through the call.

"Hold on a sec- I've gotta take this."

Thalia watched as Percy flipped open his phone and listened. Slowly, his face lost color.

"No… No way. Where is she?"

Faint unintelligible speech heralded the reply.

"Jas…" he breathed out. "I'll-I'll be right over. T-Thanks."

He ended the call, and said, "I'm sorry Thals, but I've got to run. Emergency."

"But-"

A hand, slashed through the mist, terminated the connection, and all Thalia could see was the small gurgling stream as it rushed past.

 **oOo**

 **Thank you for reading. Please review.**


	5. Stygian Vows

**Sporadic updates do indeed mean sporadic updates. I'm sorry for the long wait, but excuses are boring. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: You know the drill.**

 **oOo**

5

 _Stygian Vows_

" _I don't think I've said it enough, but you… you make everything better for me Lady Artemis._ _And, you being here today just… it means a lot that you came in person. And I … I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been there for me these past few months._ "

How long had it been? How long had it been since she'd been treated as someone _normal,_ without her status, without her powers, without any of the formalities that had barricaded her from all normal interactions?

She'd always prided herself on being an eternal maiden. Her facade was built on the foundation of aloofness, fueled by her fierce independence and unwillingness to accept help from others; by the understanding that she didn't _need_ anyone to be strong. She didn't need someone to lean on.

But now, millennia later, there were times when regret seeped into her heart.

Because sometimes, she found herself filled with an alien emotion. Two alien emotions actually, but she didn't want to consider the ramifications of the second one.

Loneliness.

Crushing loneliness, which she had ruthlessly crushed and hidden deep away inside her soul, until a certain Percy Jackson decided to come along and somehow draw her out from behind her mask.

And then, when she thought that maybe she should regret her fateful decision, when she thought she'd finally found her equal, her mirror, it all turned out to be a lie; a mistake that haunted her to this very day.

And now here she was, struggling to return to her original state of being. Struggling against the feeling of being _alone_ in the world. Longing and yearning for happiness.

When had she last _talked_ to someone outside of her Huntresses? Talked, without threats of polymorphing, or any of the awkward bowing and brownnosing that inevitably occurred.

Come to think of it, even her relationship with her Huntresses was deteriorating.

" _Milady, you said that there would be no secrets between us."_

What was _wrong_ with her? Thalia had been right. She'd never hidden anything from her lieutenants before, and they, in turn, had shared everything with her.

But, these emotions… she'd never _felt_ like this before.

Suddenly feeling restless, she exited her tent, absentmindedly checking her surroundings. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, with most of her girls getting ready for the night while a couple others settled in on watch duty. After completing her survey, she set off into the woods, hoping to feel more at home in her domain.

She was supposed to be performing her duties, she knew, but she hadn't bothered after that fateful night with Perseus. She knew that she would be getting an earful from her father at some point, but she simply couldn't bring herself to care. It was strange... no downright absurd how one person could have such an effect on her.

 _This wasn't what she'd intended. It was just a promise; a debt, to be repaid. Nothing more, nothing less. This wasn't what she'd wanted to happen, but now that it_ had _, she… didn't want to go back either. Because now it was a possibility. A path to… the unknown. Something unexplored, something she had eschewed with her vows, millennia ago. And that made it all the more exciting._

Eventually, her wanderings led her to the stream, gurgling happily along. As she approached, the form of a naiad appeared before her, doubtless the spirit of the water.

Her heart twinged once more when the naiad fell to her knees before her. This pedestal… there was a time when she loved being revered. Loved that maidens sought her out for protection, that every city-state built shrines in her name, that great kings catered to her desires, even going so far as to be willing to sacrifice close family members to her.

But what was the _point_? Once the cheap thrills of being honored evaporated with time, all that was left were empty shrines filled with lost prayers and dreams and graveyards filled with ghosts. A reminder, of sorts, and a cautionary tale of hubris and humility, a lesson forever neglected by the immortals. There was _no point_ in shallow adoration, because in the end, even the greatest fade. Perhaps the most painful lesson of all.

"Lady Artemis! I'm so honored for you to visit my humble abode. Is there anything I could possibly do for you? Anything at all? I could offer you the cleanest, most purified -"

"No thank you." Artemis replied quickly, forestalling what was sure to be a long list of benefits of her water. "I merely came for a bit of peace and quiet."

"Oh…" the naiad said, looking disappointed. But then she perked up again just as quickly.

"I shouldn't tell you this, but because it's you, milady..." the naiad giggled.

Artemis raised her eyebrows. "Yes?"

"Well, one of your Huntresses is a mile or so downstream…"

"Yes, yes we set up camp nearby." Artemis interrupted, turning to leave.

"Milady, she was Iris-Messaging a boy!" The naiad exclaimed.

"Pardon?" Artemis said, her stomach sinking.

"Yeah, one of your Huntresses, I couldn't make out who, because I was busy attending to the trash that a nearby camping group decided that _absolutely_ had to be thrown into my stream, I mean the nerve of them!"

At Artemis's flat stare she quickly returned to the subject.

"Uhm, yeah anyways one of your Huntresses was talking to someone in an Iris Message. And I took a peek at who it was she was messaging, but I didn't recognize him. It was definitely a boy though, and he was super hot too!" The naiad giggled again.

"Thank you for this information." Artemis said without emotion, stalking away from the naiad.

This didn't happen often, but it wasn't unheard of. Lust. Deceit. The allure of a relationship. Romance. They all lured them away. She hadn't lost many Huntresses before the wars, but most of those who had gone had been deceived away from their oaths.

She stared up at the sky. Ursa Major. One of her many regrets.

Soon, though, her musings were interrupted when familiar voices reached her ears.

Shocked, she quickly ducked behind a conveniently nearby boulder.

" _Percy… I can't believe I'm even asking this, but do you have feelings for her?"_

" _W-What? No! Of course not."_

 _A lie._ She thought.

Feelings? Feelings for… who?

Did he find someone else?

Somehow, that thought simply aroused ever more anger and pain.

Suddenly, the object of her attentions' voice grew louder, more panicked than before.

" _Jas…I'll-I'll be right over. T-Thanks. I'm sorry Thals, but I've got to run. Emergency."_

" _But-"_

Or perhaps he had mended his broken relationship with the mortal girl.

She stared up at Ursa Major again, and realized that she had no one to blame but herself. Back when everything was simple, when feelings and emotions didn't complicate matters, it was she who had pushed him towards the mortal girl, hoping that he'd find happiness with her, that perhaps he'd recover from his grief, and she could consider her debt repaid. But somewhere along the way, some way, somehow, their relationship had changed. She was no longer his confidante, any more than he was her 'redemption project'. She aided him because she wanted to, because she couldn't bear seeing him so helplessly morose and hurting.

It became personal, and the thought of it both frightened and intrigued her.

But now he was off with his new girlfriend, starting a new life and finding his own happiness once more. Now, she was stuck, wondering about the what-ifs and the buts and feeling like perhaps she'd missed an opportunity that might never present itself again, immortality be damned.

And she wondered if she should return to him, now, after her weeks of silence. Could she face him, with the knowledge that he had found her replacement? Could she contain the maelstrom of foreign emotions warring with her pragmatism inside her?

The first droplet fell to the ground beneath her.

 **oOo**

"Sir, I'm going to need you to move out of the way."

"No… No, please. I didn't…"

"Sir! PLEASE move out of the way, she needs immediate medical attention." Someone was shaking him roughly, attempting to pull him away.

Her face was so pale. Bloodless, distorted with pain that not even unconsciousness could fully erase.

"I.. I love you Jas please... don't leave. Please stay. I… I don't know what I would do if… if you…"

His heart _squeezed_ and he couldn't prevent the sobs from escaping if he'd tried.

He would have stayed there forever if someone hadn't quietly but firmly taken ahold of his arm and led him away.

The phone call still reverberated in his head.

".. _multi-vehicle collision that killed three with five others in critical condition… ...currently being rushed off to the hospital as we attempt to evaluate her status… … require your immediate presence to sign the necessary paperwork as her emergency contact…"_

She was supposed to be his redemption. His recovery from tragedy, the light at the end of the tunnel that promised an end to the pain and longing that he'd felt for over a year.

She wasn't supposed to be the next item on a long list of tragedies in a shitty life that seemed destined to be as cursed as the original Perseus was blessed.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there, on the bench that the nurse had led him to, staring at the white, sterile walls of the hospital. Hoping. Begging. Denying.

"Mr. Jackson." A stern, serious voice penetrated his consciousness

Turning, he saw the doctor standing in the hallway, face stoic, betraying nothing.

"Doc! How is she? Is she fine? Does she need anything?"

"She is in critical condition, I'm afraid, Mr. Jackson. We have done the best we could to stabilize her, but with the amount of internal injuries and brain trauma from the accident it's anyone's guess as to whether or not she'll recover. I can allow you a few moments with her, to prepare for the worst."

The world ended, so to speak, in that moment for him. Percy couldn't move, couldn't speak.

" _I can allow you a few moments with her…_ "

The words bounced around his head, echoing in his skull as he fixated on the meaning behind these words.

She was gone. Or would be soon enough.

All he wanted to do was cry.

The doctor gently took him by the arm, and led him along the corridor.

 **oOo**

They had cleaned away the blood, at least. And she looked peaceful now, her previous pain dulled by the cocktail of painkillers and narcotics.

He sat by her bedside, holding her hand, praying, begging, pleading for help. If only there was someone to save her.

If only there was someone…

Percy sat bolt upright.

Of course, there _was_ someone. He associated with _gods_ , for fuck's sake.

If only there was a way to get to him. There wasn't a rainbow anywhere, and he certainly didn't have other means of contact.

So he just closed his eyes and prayed.

'Apollo, God of Prophecies, the sun, poetry, music, and most importantly, medicine. Please, help Jasmine. I know that we haven't exactly been in contact, but if there's any point in time where you've felt that I've done anything worthy of your time, then please, help me. Help her.'

Exhaling slowly, he opened his eyes.

There was nothing. No change. No golden light, or reassuring presence.

That… was that it?

The sense of helplessness overwhelmed him. The first sobs escaped.

Just then, the door opened, and another doctor, different from the original, appeared. He was younger, and he carried a tray with a single vial filled with an unrecognizable potion placed on it.

"Mr. Jackson." He nodded in greeting as he placed the tray down beside Jasmine's bed.

"Uhm, yes, Dr… Fred." Percy said, reading off the name tag as he distractedly swiped at his eyes.

"I do apologize about my appearance… wait."

His eyes narrowed. Dr... Fred?

The doctor put a finger to his lips, before his gaze sharpened.

"You asked, and I came. I'll admit that you've done a lot for Olympus and for me in the past few years. I believe I owe you a great deal, and so I came. But this, what you're asking is for me to break the most fundamental of the Ancient Laws. To interfere directly with the Three Fates, to save someone who should not be saved. To fundamentally alter date requires a price. And, for all that you've done, you haven't done enough for this."

"But…" Percy began to protest.

"Have no fear, Perseus Jackson. I am nevertheless prepared to grant you what you wish, should you agree to my terms."

"W-what terms?"

"Outside of Olympian gatherings and solstice parties, cease your interactions with my sister. Whatever your relationship may be, it is harmful. Toxic. My sister is continuously distracted, and has neglected her duties for weeks now. She has retreated into solitude, and refuses to listen to reason. The only possible cause is you. Your relationship will fail, it has been proven on countless occasions. The immortal and the mortal has been an ideal for millennia, but your obstinate refusal of immortality has ensured the end of any chance for your relationship. Spare my sister, please, of this pain. If you care at all for her, you will accept my terms. If you wish for this young mortal girl to be saved from Fate, you will accept my terms."

Here it was. The impossible choice, the dilemma without a solution. How could he give up the goddess that had brought him out of his doldrums, the steadfast presence that had comforted him and empowered him, that had led him to happiness, and had stolen his heart in the process? But, in the same vein, how could he willingly and knowingly condemn someone to die? Someone whom he cared for, whom he _loved_. The mortal girl that represented everything he'd wished for, once upon a lifetime ago; a normal life, filled with simplicity and the lack of life-threatening adventures. Just love, a family, the beautiful girl; the happy ending he'd dreamed of ever since he was twelve years old.

After the war, that dream had seemed so close that all he had to do was _reach_ ; stretch out his hand, and grasp it.

But, of course, it wouldn't last.

"I… Lord Apollo, please, isn't there _any_ other option?"

Apollo stared at him.

"You don't believe me, Perseus."

Percy slowly shook his head.

"Tithonus. Adonis. Beryl Grace. Even your mother, although she is happy, is another example of the futility of mortal-immortal relations."

"But.. there are happy stories aren't there? Ariadne-"

"Ah, but Ariadne chose immortality, did she not? Ariadne, Psyche, Heracles. They all became immortal. You refused it, and my father will not offer it again. These are my terms, Perseus. Take it or leave it."

And so, Percy's internal war raged. What would he be willing to sacrifice? It seemed as though he'd been asked that question his entire life. The gods need Olympus saved? Oh, yes, sacrifice some of your best friends in a desperate defense of their home against an immortal being older than them. The gods want to avoid Gaia? Sacrifice eight months of your life in order to reconcile two peoples that had been at each other's throats for millennia. Want a friend saved after everything you've done? Sacrifice your happiness.

But there wasn't ever really any doubt was there? His fatal flaw made sure of that.

"I accept your terms, Apollo, as long as you promise that Jas will fully recover from this." Percy said.

Apollo smiled slightly.

"Swear it on the River Styx, and I promise you, no I myself swear that she will make a full recovery."

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Apollo glanced up, nervously.

"I don't have long, young Perseus. Now or never."

"I swear by the River Styx to abide by the terms you have laid out regarding Lady Artemis." Percy said, immediately feeling the weight of the vow settle into his very being."

Apollo flashed him a bright smile, before he turned and picked up the vial. He unstoppered it, carefully opened Jasmine's mouth, and poured the liquid down her throat.

"That, Percy, was the Physician's Cure. You have no idea the trouble I went through to make another one after everything my father did to forbid me from doing so. She will make a full recovery. Now don't forget your oath."

With that, Apollo pocketed the vial and left the room, leaving Percy alone with his thoughts.

 **oOo**

The weeks flew by as Jasmine made a remarkable recovery. Her internal injuries improved at an unbelievable rate, although the greater surprise lay in the fact that there were no long-term repercussions to all the trauma that she'd suffered in the accident. The doctors were all pronouncing it a miracle.

And while Percy was excited for her full recovery, everything was tinged with bitterness and sadness. Because every time he saw her, he was reminded of what he'd given up. And every time he was outside at night, with the soft glow of the moon bathing the world in silver, he was reminded of what the goddess had meant to him.

Soon enough, though, Jasmine was conscious and capable of conversation, which helped take his mind off things, if only for a little while. It was awkward at first, neither knowing what to say to the other, but eventually the initial awkwardness wore off and they began talking about lighter topics. The novel that Jasmine had been working on, a novel which explored unrequited relationships and heartbreak, spawned countless awkward jokes. Percy's anecdotes about various incidents at the aquarium would never fail to bring laughter.

Still, they danced around the major issue. The elephant in the room remained, with neither willing to address it so soon after her accident.

Eventually, she was pronounced fully recovered, and Percy took a day off from work as Jasmine checked out of the hospital, two months after her accident. Watching as she walked slowly outside into the world once more made his heart swell, and for the first time he realized that perhaps he had made the correct choice that fateful night in the hospital after all.

Turning to him, she beamed. "Thanks Percy, for keeping me company in there for all that time. I'm sorry for everything that happened, and I realized that I was being dumb before. It's not your fault you're in love with someone else, and I'm going to support you in every way possible. And while I can't say that a part of me doesn't wish you to fail, I'll try my best to help you."

Percy shifted on his feet.

"Err- about that…" he ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to figure out what to say.

Jasmine's face fell a little. "Is there something wrong? I was just joking-"

"No, no Jas, it's not your fault. In fact, I want to thank you for that. But, me and her, we..- I don't think we'll work out. Stuff came up while you were… out… and I just don't think we're going to work anymore."

"Oh…" she said, reaching out and taking his hand. "Oh Percy, I'm so sorry. Did she… was it her fault?"

He shook his head. "No, nothing like that. Just… other stuff came up and we just can't be together anymore."

"I'm so sorry." she murmured quietly. "I didn't think- I didn't want to bring up a bad memory, but I felt so guilty-"

"It's not your fault," he reassured her. "And, well, I know that maybe you're not ready for it right now… fuck I don't even know if I'm ready, but someday, we could try."

She took a step closer to him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Try..?"

"Yes. Try a… a relationship. A real one, this time. I promise."

Watching her eyes grow wide with surprise, before her lips curved upward in the most radiant smile he'd ever seen on her face made him excited for the future, for the first time in a long while. Maybe happiness still existed in the world for him to find.

"I think I'd like that. I think I'd like that a lot."

And then, so quickly that Percy didn't even have time to respond, she stood on her tiptoes and gently pressed her lips against his.

It was quick and fleeting, but promised so, so much more.

 **oOo**

 **Buckle up ladies and gentlemen, it's going to be a long ride. Expect nothing, except for the next chapter.**

 **Thanks for reading, and please review.**


	6. Aestas et Carmina

**Not much to say, so much to read. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Percy Jackson.**

 **Additional Disclaimers: The songs** _ **Photograph**_ **by Ed Sheeran and** _ **I Choose You**_ **by Sara Bareilles make an appearance in this chapter. I do not lay claim to the lyrics or the ideas behind the songs. All rights go to the legitimate creators and owners of such content.**

 **oOo**

6

 _Aestas et Carmina_

Rejection.

That was the only possible explanation.

Five calls. He never picked up.

It was only her emotions holding her back from smiting him. And, of course, the repercussions from her family.

But by Zeus did she want to hurt him. She wanted to make him _feel_ for what he'd done. Feel the same bewildered hurt that she'd felt this afternoon, just like the first time she'd worked up the courage to call; to swallow her pride and apologize for disappearing.

As a Goddess of the Hunt, and the Protectress of maidens, she had heard all the stories. She'd seen the horrors of what love could do. Of men who'd deceived, lied, tricked, or forced their way into girls' hearts, only to abandon them as they saw fit.

She'd never experienced rejection herself. Betrayal, yes, but never true rejection. If anything, she had always been the _rejector_ , warding off admirers and would-be rapists alike throughout the years with words and weapons alike. This...this feeling of emptiness, of unworthiness and self-doubt, was a novel and crushing experience for her.

No matter. Tonight was the summer solstice, and she knew he'd be there. Poseidon had specifically requested his presence, she'd learned, due to his absence at previous solstice parties. Something about worrying about his future. She would confront him, then, and she would not take no for an answer. Tonight, she would get an answer, and she would get resolution. And then, maybe she could continue on and perhaps forget about one Percy Jackson.

She clenched her fists, unconsciously.

'I hope you have a very good reason, Perseus Jackson.'

Unbeknownst to her, several pairs of eyes watched her pacing back and forth on the banks of the stream and muttering to herself. The Huntresses watched their mistress silently, wondering what, if anything, to say.

"I've never seen Lady Artemis like this, ever." One of the more senior Huntresses said, staring at the retreating form of their mistress.

"She was buried in grief a-a-after the war, but she tried to be strong. Tried to carry on f-for all of us." Another, younger girl said quietly, her voice cracking as she thought of her fallen sisters.

The others murmured their agreement. Thalia sighed. She disliked knowing the details of the issue, partly because she respected her mistress's privacy. Partly because she was worried about the repercussions on her best friend.

She had resolved to speak to Percy multiple times, but he had always been busy, the Iris-Messages never going through to him.

"Let's just... talk to her." Thalia said, figuring there was always the chance her mistress had taken her words to heart and decided to reveal her inner conflict.

"Do you think that's alright?" Kyoko, a new Japanese-American girl they'd inducted on their latest trip to California, asked.

"Don't worry, Kyoko, if there's anyone in the world she can talk to, it's us." Thalia reassured her, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Why don't we ask her after the solstice tonight?"

Her companions murmured their agreement.

"Great!" Thalia said, with false cheer in her voice. "Now let's finish tidying up so that we can break camp for the solstice tonight! Remember we're staying in Lady Artemis's palace tonight after the party."

As she watched her sisters begin packing up the tents and stowing their supplies, she couldn't help but feel dread and unease as she thought ahead to the solstice. There were secrets; a lot of secrets that could be revealed. And while there were no world-ending repercussions _this_ time around, there was still a world of turmoil and pain if things went wrong.

 **oOo**

"You don't seem to be super excited about this reunion, Percy." Jasmine remarked from her position on the bed as she watched him flip through his iPod absentmindedly.

Percy sighed heavily, scrolling through his songs list for a few more moments before giving up and throwing it aside.

"You're right, I'm not."

Jasmine frowned. "But… these are your high school friends! People you haven't seen in a long time. I know I'm always looking forward to get-togethers with old friends and just seeing how everyone's doing, how everyone's changed."

Percy shrugged. "I mean I am. There's people that I haven't seen since before… before everything. And I miss them, but I also don't know how to face them again."

Jasmine threw aside her laptop where she'd been working on the latest draft of her novel and stood up, before walking over and pulling him into a tight hug.

"They're your friends, Percy. If I know anything about friends, it's that they'll always support you. They're probably worried sick about you, if you pulled a disappearing act on them _for over a year_. I know that I would, if Sarah or Richard or anyone that I knew did that."

Percy leaned into her embrace, kissing the top of her head.

"Y-yeah, you're right. B-but, uhm.. Selene's going to be there too." He was surprised at how quickly the lie came to his lips.

"Selene? Who's that? I've never heard you talk about her before.."

"She's the girl I told you about. The... one where things didn't work out."

".. Oh… she's going to be there too?"

Percy rushed to reassure her. "It's not like _that_ , Jas, I just, I don't know how comfortable I'll be seeing her again."

She nodded. "I get that, reuniting with your ex-"

"She wasn't my ex!" Percy protested.

Jasmine rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, quasi-ex. Anyways, reuniting with her probably isn't fun."

There was a long pause.

"Would you like me to go with you? I know it's going to be all of your friends, and we're…"

 _We're not an official item yet._

"-but I could go just to make you more comfortable?"

"No, it's fine Jas, I need to face them alone this time. Maybe sometime in the future."

She looked at him carefully. He'd turned away from her and was messing with his iPod again.

"Well, if you're sure… but you shouldn't treat this as a chore you know. Try to have some fun, at least?"

Percy looked up and smiled at her, squeezing her hand.

"Thanks, love."

She blushed, and pushed him towards the door gently.

"Don't worry so much. Just go and have fun!"

He blew her a kiss, before disappearing down the stairs.

 **oOo**

Artemis scanned the crowd, standing off to the side of the party, unlike her immortal family who were revelling in the attention of the attendees. She had spent the past few hours alternating between terrible anxiety and anticipation, scanning the room every few seconds for a glimpse of his messy, jet-black hair. But she only caught sight of her brother, dancing and making a fool of himself with some poor lovestruck nymph she had never seen before.

She turned away to prevent herself from causing a scene by punching her brother.

And then suddenly, as if by magic, he was there beside her, looking a little dishevelled and nervous, but a determined set to his jaw.

They stared at each other for a moment, neither knowing what to say. She'd thought of this moment for ages. She'd considered what she wanted to say; what she wanted to do.

But now that she was face-to-face with Percy once more, everything she'd ever planned disappeared from her mind.

"Why?" was all she managed.

"Lady Artemis…" he trailed off at her furious glare.

"Don't. After everything… using formalities… just don't." She ground out.

"Fine… Artemis."

He took a breath, before continuing, "Look, I- I didn't know what to say. How to react. You disappeared-"

"I had to perform my _duties_ , Perseus. Surely you can appreciate that."

"I"m not _blaming_ you-"

"But you _are_. Look, I'm _sorry_ I didn't return, but I was _busy_ and I also... needed time."

"I'm not blaming you Artemis. I'm NOT. I didn't come here to blame you, I came here to explain."

"Then why don't you _explain_ why haven't you answered my calls?" Artemis asked, her voice rising as anger and hurt warred within.

Percy glanced around. They were starting to attract attention. Thankfully, most people were still engaged in dancing and partying, paying no attention to their surroundings. But a few nearby partygoers had noticed the raised voices, and were sidling closer.

"Let's… let's go outside."

Artemis looked around for a moment as well, remembering where she was and more importantly, who _she_ was.

She took a deep breath, and nodded, following Percy to the door.

 **oOo**

The garden was picturesque, perfectly maintained by Persephone during the summer and various dryads whenever she was in the Underworld. A beautiful place for a bitter conversation.

Percy sat on a bench. Nearby, a fountain gurgled and splashed happily, ignoring the heavy silence of its visitors.

"It's not that I didn't want to answer your IM's." Percy started.

Artemis perched herself on the fountain's edge, watching the water splash merrily into the stone basin as she struggled to rein in her temper.

"Really?" She asked in a tone that stated she clearly didn't believe him.

He sighed heavily. "It's… believe what you want, but I really truly wanted to answer them."

"Then WHY DIDN'T YOU?" Artemis exploded, jumping up and advancing towards him, red splotches appearing on her face.

"Do you know how long I planned those calls? Do you know how hard it was to sneak away from my own Huntresses? MY HUNTRESSES, who trust me with their lives. Who believed in me implicitly. Who doubt me now, because I have been a distant mistress, because you couldn't be bothered to respond."

Percy leaned so far backward he nearly fell off the bench.

"I was… I was busy.." he tried, hoping that she wouldn't smite him for such a lame excuse.

She didn't smite him… but sometimes Percy wished that she had. At least then, he wouldn't have to see the emotions flicker across her face. And even he could see how much pain he'd caused her, how hard she was trying to stay together; to not fall apart, because even now she still had an image and reputation to uphold.

She stared at him, and his gut twisted with guilt and bitterness and regret. He didn't know what to do; he didn't know what he could possibly say to make things better. Or even to make things less bad.

She turned away from him, back towards the fountain, staring down into the depths.

In a tremulous voice, she said quietly, "I get it. I understand now. You found her, and you're happy now."

Completely caught off guard, all he could do was stammer, "I- what- no, that's-"

"It's okay, I understand everything now. You're spending time with her, and I would've come between you. I- I can respect that you want to dedicate everything to your relationship. I-I-In fact, I would be disappointed if you hadn't." She continued, wrapping her arms around herself.

Percy approached her from behind, still desperately trying something, anything to say.

"You've got it all wrong, Artemis. I really, truly couldn't answer your calls. Please don't think that I'm angry or something, because there was nothing more that I wanted than to speak to you; to see your face again."

Artemis made to interrupt, but Percy shook his head.

"I'm definitely not ungrateful for everything that you did for me Artemis. Whatever debt you believed you owed me once upon a time, you have more than paid it. I'll always remember this past year; all the advice and wake-up calls you gave me to allow me to continue on- to live. And, like I said, I want you to know without any doubt that… if I could have, I would have talked to you these past few weeks. I would have responded. But I can't. I won't be able to see you again until the winter. I… I made a choice, a couple months ago that I wish I never had to make. I'll always wonder… if I did things a little differently… if I wasn't so _stupid_ , then maybe I wouldn't be here. Maybe _we_ wouldn't be here. Maybe I wouldn't be hurting you."

He paused, his eyes stinging. He didn't want it to end like this. He didn't want to become a stranger again.

"Please… please don't think any worse of me. And, I want you to have this."

He reached into his pocket, pulling out the photograph he'd kept inside his wallet, before tugging on her arm. She didn't acknowledge his touch, but his persistence won out in the end, and he gently shoved the picture into her hand. She looked down, but made no move to look at the photo. Feeling his heart clench, Percy took out his iPod. He'd thought about this song for a long time. It said everything that he couldn't, or wouldn't say.

Placing the iPod on the bench, he said, "I.. I don't- I'm not good at expressing.. well anything…" he trailed off, suddenly feeling so, so tired. The only thing he wanted was sleep; all he wanted was to go home and sleep and maybe when he woke up he could live a normal life with Jasmine and be happy. Live the dream from ages past.

But as he stared at her back, he didn't feel resignation, or acceptance. No. Defiance welled up inside him. Perhaps he wasn't meant to spend his life with her, but he damn well would find a way to maintain their previous relationship. This wouldn't be goodbye, he swore. Oath be damned, he'd talk to her outside of the solstices.

"It… it's not much, but I want you to have that photo and song. It helped me in the past few months; always made me feel better and such. It kept me going, made me get up every morning to go to work, and gave me the comfort to be happy sometimes. I hope it'll give you some of that comfort too."

She didn't… this wasn't what she wanted, or expected. This was.. this was completely different from how she'd imagined the meeting to go. She was confused about his explanation. About why he couldn't see her again until the winter. And about his confession. And their future.

And, if she were honest with herself, not a little heartbroken.

She wrapped her arms around herself again, suddenly feeling cold, despite the summer weather.

Percy took a deep breath, staring down at the black X that filled his screen. After this, she'd know. And maybe it'd hurt more than anything else, because of his oath, but she _had_ to know. She deserved it, after everything.

He hit play.

" _We keep this love in a photograph._

 _We made these memories for ourselves_

 _Where our eyes are never closing_

 _Our hearts were never broken_

 _And time's forever frozen, still._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _So you can keep me_

 _Inside the pocket of your ripped jeans_

 _Holding me closer until our eyes meet_

 _You won't ever be alone,_

 _Wait for me to come home._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _And if you hurt me_

 _Well that's okay baby_

 _Only words bleed_

 _Inside these pages you just hold me_

 _And I won't ever let you go…"_

The tears came, unwanted, to her face thick and fast then, confusion and anger mixed in with the fresh pain of reopened wounds. He- words and thoughts failed to describe everything.

She looked up to say something, anything, but he was already gone, almost as if it had all been a dream. Remembering what he'd said, she flipped over the photo he'd pressed into her hand before he'd disappeared, more than a little curious and gasped.

It was a picture of the two of them, on Delos, during happier times. Percy stood next to her awkwardly, his hands pressed to his sides, almost as if he was unsure of what to do with them. Still, seeing his face, lit up with excitement and just radiating pure joy, smiling that nervous, but adorable smile on his face… she couldn't help but smile at the memory, even if it brought a fresh wave of pain.

Next to him, she...

Wow.

Artemis studied herself closely for a moment. She... looked happy. She remembered those days to be some of the happiest days since… since a long time ago.

Suddenly feeling her knees weaken, she sank down onto the bench next to the iPod, which he'd left behind, still clutching the photo as if it was a lifeline in an ocean.

He loved her.

He was gone.

She sobbed.

 **oOo**

" _Tell the world that we finally got it all right..._

 _I choose…_

 _You_

 _I will become yours and you will become mine_

 _I choose…_

 _You"_

The party was winding down as Percy pushed his way through the crowd, Annabeth's old cap on his head. All he could focus on was _leaving_.

Yet, the Muses continued to play in his head, although he didn't recall choosing the song they were currently playing. It was nice though, and it allowed him to dream, if even for a moment, that someday he would be saying those words to the goddess he'd left behind.

And somehow, holding onto that dream made it easier for him to run now. To run away and not look back.

To honor his oath.

Someone who looked as though he'd drank too much of Dionysus's punch stumbled into his path, and he sidestepped in an effort to not bowl anyone over, but he failed to notice someone standing immediately to his left.

The girl whirled around.

"Hey watch it-"

Percy's eyes widened at the voice. Shit.

Icy blue eyes narrowed, before Thalia swiped out with her left arm, connecting with Percy's shoulder.

"Ouch!" He yelped in surprise, pulling away as quickly as he could.

He didn't want to have this conversation. Not now, not ever. She wouldn't understand, and he couldn't bear to lose someone else he cared deeply about.

"PERSEUS!" Thalia screamed as she felt him slip out of her grasp. She chased after him, doing her very best to not lose him, simply following the commotion as Percy ran through countless people in his desperate attempt to escape.

Fortunately for her, just as they reached the entrance pavilion where she would've given up all hope of ever finding him with the invisibility cap, Percy tripped lover a bump in the ground and fell, sprawling all over the marble floor.

"Fuck…" he groaned in pain, rolling over onto his back gingerly, the Yankees cap having flown off his head.

Thalia ran over worriedly, seeing the nasty gash on his forehead and the scrapes and cuts all over his body. Digging around quickly, she managed to locate her emergency supply of ambrosia, and gave Percy a square, which he quickly popped into his mouth.

Seconds later, the divine food was working as intended, as color returned to his cheeks and he felt strong enough to sit up properly, only to find Thalia with arms crossed, staring down at him.

"You won't be able to get out of this conversation, Percy, so you might as well sit down and explain. _Everything_."

"What is there to tell? There's nothing to say, really. I just… I just want to go home." he said quietly.

And for the first time in a long while, Thalia took a close look at her best friend, and realized just how _tired_ and _miserable_ he looked.

"What did you do to yourself today? Did something bad happen? Why do you look so awful?" She asked, concern evident.

"Well don't you have a silver tongue?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Can I just go? I don't want to talk anymore," he interrupted.

"Percy- just tell me, I swear I won't repeat anything, Artem-"

"Oh for Hades' sake, why can't you ever just _let me be_?!" he shouted, glaring at her. "I'm miserable because I feel like, ever since Annabeth, all I've been doing is fucking up. I haven't done anything worthwhile since she's been gone. All I've managed to do is wreck people's lives, but all I can fucking think about is myself. Oh woe is me, you know how fucking disgusted I am by my self-pity? And you know what's worse? I finally started feeling like I had a hope for the future, another chance that I could maybe take. And then I FUCKED IT. AGAIN."

She was at a loss for words. He had all the momentum in the world, and he wasn't stopping here.

"You want to know why I probably look abso-fucking-lutely devastated right now? Because you were right, a few months ago. Happy? Gonna lecture me for lying or something? I didn't realize it, didn't cherish it enough, but now I've realized that I have, or at least had, something approaching a relationship with Lady Artemis. And you know what happened? I RUINED IT, and in the process probably just fucking hurt HER for the next decade or whatever, just like I fuck up everything good in my life. Because all I do is ruin things left and right, and now Jasmine is probably worried out of her mind for me because it's past two and I said I wouldn't stay past midnight. And so if you could please just fucking let me go, maybe I can go back and live out life normally."

"Did… did you talk to her tonight? Lady Artemis, I mean. Where is she?"

" _Please_ , Thalia. _Please_."

"Just… just tell me this last part, and I promise, I won't keep you."

"In the garden. We talked and I tried to explain, but I probably botched it just like I've botched everything else."

Thalia nodded, and pulled him into a tight hug. "Thank you, Percy. And I'm sorry, for what it's worth, for badgering you. Whatever happened with Artemis, it's not your fault okay? Don't think that way."

After they broke apart, Thalia gave his shoulder one last squeeze, before standing up once more and mentally preparing herself to walk to the garden.

Percy broke the silence. "I just… I'm not allowed to talk to her anymore except during solstices, so I tried to make the most of every moment, okay?"

Thalia wanted to ask what he meant with his restriction, but Percy just looked so exhausted…

"Okay, it's okay Perce. Go be happy. I think, based on everything you've told me, that you'll be happy with this Jasmine. Go home, and look forward to the future because you _will_ have one."

Percy slowly pushed himself up off the floor, carefully walking over to the Yankees cap before pocketing it and heading across the skybridge.

Thalia turned, squared her shoulders, and marched back into the party.

 **oOo**

The garden was quiet, but her natural instincts allowed her to immediately pick out the soft sniffles and hiccups that came from the bench next to the fountain.

Thalia felt like she was intruding on something private. Her mistress had always stood for strength and independence. She had preached relying on oneself to solve one's problems; of never giving up; of always fighting for a better tomorrow.

Of never living in the past.

But there Lady Artemis sat, clutching what appeared to be a worn paragraph, crying for the first time since… fuck it was probably since before Thalia had joined the Hunt.

She quietly walked towards the bench, taking a seat next to her mistress quietly.

Without saying anything, she carefully took Lady Artemis's free hand, covering it with both of hers and squeezing gently.

And then she gathered her up into a hug.

And so they sat, with Artemis hiccupping and trying to compose herself as she leaned on Thalia's shoulder while Thalia simply sat and stared out into the night.

"He… he loved me." she said quietly.

"I know." Thalia sighed, rubbing Lady Artemis's shoulders soothingly.

"But he's gone."

Thalia internally grimaced. As an introduction to dating and relationships; real relationships with communication and care and all the _beautiful_ parts of love; this was … certainly not ideal.

"I- yeah. He's just…"

"I didn't even realize… for all those months… I didn't even know what I was feeling until it was too late."

"You… loved him?" Thalia couldn't keep the curiosity out of her voice.

"I… I think I could've. Might've. Had I… had we been given time... who knows?"

"Is that… did he leave you that picture?" Thalia wondered aloud, staring at the photo curled within Artemis's palm.

She nodded.

"Is it- Can I- Can I see it?"

Artemis wordlessly handed it over.

"Wow." Thalia murmured under her breath.

The two of them; they looked beautiful together.

Percy looked like a wooden statue, his stance was so tense and awkward. Still, his eyes were alight with mirth and joy, two shining windows into a soul that seemed so complete and whole compared to the shattered wreck he'd been not so long ago.

Lady Artemis, on the other hand, looked relaxed and carefree, simply enjoying the moment; something which occurred so rarely nowadays. She seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself and, despite the fact that it was a photograph, Thalia could easily tell that she was glowing brightly.

Thalia was a mere bystander, with no stake in their relationship, yet even she felt a profound sense of _loss_ , a melancholic inkling in her gut that something precious and gorgeous was being wasted.

"I… I never even realized. You guys look amazing together."

"S-s-stop," Artemis choked out, "J-just don't. That's… it's all in the past. Per-He saved the world, and he's happy now, living the dream life of _normalcy_ that he's craved. That's fine. That's great. I'll be fine, I'll move past this just like I always have. Everything's fine."

A heavy silence blanketed them.

"Is it though…?" Thalia asked quietly.

Artemis shoulders slowly slumped in despair.

"No." she admitted slowly, brokenly. "No… it's not."

And she wept.

" _When I'm away…_

 _I will remember how you kissed me_

 _Under the lamppost back on Sixth Street_

 _Hearing you whisper through the phone_

' _Wait for me to come home."_

 **oOo**

 **Thanks for reading! Please leave a review.**

 **A cookie to anyone who guesses where Kyoko originates from!**

 _aestas et carmina= Summer and Songs_


	7. Spes Aeternum Oritur

**Last update before the holidays I suspect. Unfortunately, more of a setup chapter than anything else. Once again, many thanks to each and every one of you who continue to read, favorite, follow, and review.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and any affiliated franchises.**

 **oOo**

7

 _Spes aeternum oritur_

Percy _knew_ he shouldn't be doing this. He knew he was probably making a huge mistake. He should've been content to stay at home and Skype call his semi-official girlfriend as she was away holding a writer's workshop in Vancouver. He was definitely not supposed to lie to said girlfriend about "visiting his old summer camp for a few days."

Unfortunately, he couldn't help himself. He wished he could blame his fatal flaw, but in reality he was just selfish. He'd spent the month after the solstice searching for this opportunity, because he realized that he couldn't let her go.

The DOA Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California were much too far for him to travel to. He wouldn't be able to travel halfway across the country, especially without the use of air travel. Besides, he would rather not alert the immortals to his entering of the Underworld through the official entrance. He was sure that Apollo would find out, for whispers travelled quickly in the immortal world.

He needed another way.

Quite conveniently, perhaps, he'd remembered that there was another entrance in Central Park.

But that entrance required music, and… well… let's just say that his singing would probably bar the Door of Orpheus forever.

Hence the reason why, after nearly two years, he stood on the hill overlooking Camp Half-Blood by Thalia's Tree, absentmindedly stroking Peleus's head as he considered _how_ exactly he was going to sneak into camp and find Grover without being discovered by the campers or Chiron himself.

Unfortunately, it was at that very thought that disaster struck.

"Percy?! Is that you?"

Mentally cursing himself for staying too long in the open in broad daylight, Percy looked around for the speaker, only to find Connor Stoll with a couple Hermes kids waving maniacally at him.

"Uhm, hey… Connor." Percy said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"You're back! Wow… are you alright dude?"

"Perfectly fine." Percy said, forcing a smile onto his face.

There was an awkward silence as the two looked at each other.

"Uhm… I'll just go let Chiron know you're here then, see ya later Perce!" Connor said, starting down the hill.

"Wait!" Percy cried out.

Connor turned, a questioning look on his face.

And Percy realized that there really was no way to cover up his appearance at the Camp.

"S-say hello to everyone for me."

Connor grinned and gave him two thumbs up. "You got it, dude."

This had been what he was afraid of. The stares and the _pity_ that followed him. He'd _known_ what it'd be like to return to camp, but he had to come back. He needed Grover.

He wasn't… he couldn't _be_ the leader that he'd once been. He wasn't the legend or the celebrity that people often praised him to be, in the years following Gaea's defeat.

He didn't want the expectations, or the spotlight.

But he needed Grover's help to chase down a dream. He needed a way to make sure that all those nights he spent staring up at the sky, at the constellations and the bright orb of light that had once represented his hope for the future, weren't in vain.

So he gritted his teeth and started down the hill.

When he arrived at the Big House, Chiron was waiting for him, standing in front of the house with a hodgepodge of his old friends waiting for him.

Connor, Katie, even Clarisse. Friends that he thought had found their own place in the world after leaving camp.

There was a moment of awkward silence as they stared at each other, both sides unable to say a word.

And then…

"Peeerrrrcy!" An excited voice bleated behind him before a heavy weight slammed him from behind into the ground.

The awkwardness was broken then, and his friends all started forward at once.

"GROUP HUG!" Connor shouted, jumping in.

And as he tumbled to the ground after being tackled by his some of his closest friends, he couldn't help but think that maybe coming back wouldn't be so bad after all.

It was like coming home again; the end of his long journey home.

 **oOo**

Reunions were short and sweet. He'd met with each of his friends briefly, updating them on how he was and in general just returning to camp life, if only briefly.

But he had to carry on with his plan.

And convincing Grover was perhaps the most difficult part of the plan. He had asked Grover to meet him after dinner, hoping that the enchiladas that were served would make Grover more amenable to his plan. Unfortunately, he was mistaken.

"P-e-ercy, you do understand that, despite the fact that the wars are long over, the Underworld still remains a place to be feared by those still alive? As in, avoid if at all possible?"

Percy played with a blade of grass as he responded, "Yeah, G-man, I get that. But I've got no choice in the matter. I know how scared you are of the Underworld, but if this wasn't an absolute emergency, I wouldn't be asking you."

"What do you mean Perce? What are you even trying to do down there? You keep making it sound like some sort of secret mission or whatever, but I _know_ that's not true. You haven't been given a quest or anything of the sort."

Percy frowned.

"How do you know that?"

"I know you haven't been to either of the Camps, Percy, or else people would've talked about your reappearance. So clearly you haven't received some sort of prophecy again."

Percy sighed, wondering how much he could say to Grover. He trusted him with his life, of course, but this wasn't something he wanted to tell _anyone_.

"Perce, you _know_ how much I hate the Underworld. C'mon man, just tell me what you're up to."

Percy gave in. It wouldn't hurt to let Grover know part of the plan… right?

"I'm going to see the Lady Styx."

Grover raised his eyebrows. "The Lady Styx? Is there something wrong? There's nothing wrong with giving up the blessing of the Styx right? You're not in trouble with her or anything?"

Percy held up his hands to placate his best friend.

"No, Grover, nothing like that. I just need to ask her a few questions."

"I don't know about this, Perce, I just have a bad feeling about all of it."

"Grover, you always have a bad feeling about the Underworld."

Grover went quiet for a while.

"Look, Perce, I know you have your reasons, so I'll open the doors for you, but I really don't want to enter the Underworld again. I'm sorry, but I just can't go back there. Besides, Juniper would kill me if she found out that I'd decided to go down there again, with her being pregnant again and everything."

He was quite surprised that Grover understood him so well, considering that their empathy link had been destroyed a long time ago. Then again, he supposed that, besides Annabeth, Grover did know him best.

"Thank you so so much Grover, you have no idea how much this means to me. And don't worry, I'm not asking you to come with me. I just need to get inside without having to fly to Los Angeles."

Grover smiled weakly at him then. "Well, then, let's get going shall we?"

Percy beamed at him. Camp could wait. He had a goddess to see.

 **oOo**

Some days were better than others, Artemis decided as she sheltered inside of her tent from the pelting rain that fell outside. The Hunt had collectively decided to retreat to Vermont for the summer, both to avoid the scorching heat of the summer and due to the abundant places to set up camp. They'd had mostly fair weather up until that point, but Zeus had recently had yet another argument with Hera about something trivial, and now most of the Eastern seaboard was being pelted with thunder and lightning and rain storms. It was quite inconvenient, but at least she was able to keep the worst of it away due to her own influence with Aeolus.

But today, the rain fell heavily outside, and everyone was sheltering indoors. She would've moved the camp had she'd known, but apparently Zeus had sprung this on the mortals mere hours before.

So all there was left to do was brood.

And brooding meant thinking; it meant her thoughts wandering; and they would inevitably go back to that fateful night in the garden, when everything and nothing had changed for her; when her whole _identity_ had been torn apart and then glued back together...only imperfectly because there were still pieces missing. Pieces that were stolen, that had yet to be returned. Pieces that were forever gone.

She reached under her pillow and pulled out the by now familiar little photograph.

She wondered, sometimes, how such a tiny, mundane object could simultaneously bring her so much joy and sorrow.

She also wondered why she hadn't thrown it away as soon as she had the chance.

 _Because you're a fool. Because you tried to help out and got way more than you ever bargained for. Because he was refreshing to talk to. Because he offered another perspective; another form of companionship._

 _Because, after all these years, you finally experienced what has led huntresses astray for millennia._

 _And you weren't any stronger than them, despite the pedestal that you place yourself on._

 _How can you claim to be the quintessential maiden goddess when you keep a photograph of a male underneath your gods damned pillow?_

But, looking back at their time together, she couldn't help but admit that she wouldn't trade it away for anything. She couldn't pinpoint where or when or how things changed, but they changed and so here she was, on a dreary September afternoon, considering how much things had changed in the last year. Was this what it was like to be mortal? For the world to change at warp speed around you?

And, without anything or anyone to distract her, she thought of that last meeting, before the solstice that changed her life. That last interaction, on his anniversary.

She remembered noticing that he had looked significantly worse in the Iris-Message than any time before. She remembered the instinctual decision to go and find out what's wrong; that _feeling_ that compelled her to abandon everything and go to Percy in his time of need.

And she often wondered about that night; how it could've altered her life if she hadn't ran away, as improbable as it was for an immortal life to be altered.

She looked back down at the photograph. Maybe it would be a good idea to return home again… She had been avoiding it while she had been denying her feelings, but that was irrelevant now.

Logically she believed that Perseus was different, that perhaps he was more than just a fleeting acquaintance of the current century, someone to be forgotten as the world moved on.

Emotionally… she wasn't quite ready to sort through that yet.

She had no real obligations when the elements were out of her control anyways. Perhaps she'd speak to her mother; it had been too long since she had visited.

Yes, going home sounded like a wonderful idea.

She concentrated for a brief moment, and the world blurred around her before refocusing, and she recognized the familiar decor of her cabin. With barely a thought, her clothes shimmered and morphed into something more suitable for the tropical weather of the island rather than the chilly climate of Vermont.

Satisfied with her appearance, she had turned and walked over to the door when she noticed something odd.

Resting neatly on a chair in the corner of the room was a set of male clothes. She walked over, wondering whether Apollo had perhaps invited a male guest over or something.

There was nothing remarkable about the clothing, except for the fact that they were winter clothing. Had these been left behind from the winter…?

Wait.

Perseus had visited during the winter. Had he left his belongings behind by accident?

She rifled through the coat's pockets, trying to find some form of identification. She discovered some mortal cash and a crumpled slip of paper buried deep inside one of the pockets.

Setting the money aside, she gently smoothed out the paper and read the contents, frowning.

It was very brief.

 _I love you Percy. Never forget that. Paul and I, we both do, and we need you to know that. We understand that it's a very difficult time you're going through, but things_ do _get better. And if you don't want to talk to us..._

 _1-800-273-8255._

 _Don't be afraid to call if you need it. I know that it might seem like I'm overreacting, but please, don't dismiss this. Don't leave us._

 _Lots of love,_

 _Mom_

Artemis frowned. It was a rather odd missive. Percy's mother appeared to be worried for him along with his stepfather. And the phone number. They presented it as an alternative to calling home. Was it perhaps another relative that Percy was close to? Or maybe a friend? Someone that Percy would trust more than he would trust his parents?

She pocketed the note.

 **oOo**

Grover had gotten worlds better with his pipes, Percy decided as the melodious music flowed from behind him. His friend had been playing for barely a minute when the rocks cracked open, revealing the familiar triangular entrance that he had used all those years ago.

He looked back to find Grover tapping his.. err.. hooves nervously.

"Look man are you sure about this? Whatever it is you're planning, is it really worth risking your life for?"

Percy smiled slightly, staring at the entrance for a moment. She'd saved him, in a way. So he owed her his life anyways.

"Yeah G-man. It is."

Grover knew that there was no way to change his mind then, so he wrapped him up in a bear hug instead.

"Be careful down there Perce. You've only just come back."

Percy winced just a little, but smiled gamely and nodded, before he descended into darkness.

The rocks slowly closed behind him, and he was very much alone.

He took out his sword, the celestial bronze gleaming, lighting the path ahead, and began his trek down the slippery stone steps.

The journey was uneventful, and as he emerged at the bottom of the steps onto the black volcanic sand he could once again see the fires of Erebos burn in the distance. He paused for a moment, taking in his surroundings, ensuring that nothing would harm him. Deciding he was safe enough, he turned right and descended towards the Styx.

The river was as he remembered it, dark and foreboding, with the broken dreams and memories littering the water.

It had really been the worst bath he'd ever taken in his life, he mused, remembering his previous excursion to the Styx.

At least last time, he'd had Nico for company. He wondered how Nico was doing now. They'd been out of touch since he'd began his self-imposed exile. And while Percy still felt awkward around Nico, knowing his feelings, he was nonetheless a good friend.

Finally reaching the shoreline, he stood hesitating, unsure of what, if anything, he could say to summon the Lady Styx.

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, the pale green ghostly figure of a Greek warrior appeared before him.

Achilles.

"So you have returned." the ghost said quietly.

"Ah.. yes." Percy said nervously.

"And it appears as though you no longer bear my curse. How… fortunate..." The ghost continued as if he had been uninterrupted.

"Yeah… you see.. about that…"

"That curse both made me and destroyed me. It magnified my greatest strengths, but also exacerbated my greatest weakness. My _only_ weakness. For you to escape the consequences of it so easily after achieving your victory…"

Percy could sense the undercurrent of anger running through Achilles's voice and, despite the fact that he was a ghost, he prepared himself.

"This cannot stand." He raged. "All those who have undertaken the Curse that bears my name have ultimately paid a price for the blessing. You cannot escape without punishment. In the end, all who bathe in the River has sealed their fate. You-"

"That is enough." a quiet, power-laden voice spoke.

Achilles stopped as if struck dumb, before retreating hastily as the water churned. Out of the water rose a woman, eight feel tall, dressed in a white hooded robe, with piercing green eyes and a slight melancholic expression.

"M-milady" Achilles stammered.

"Go, Achilles." She commanded, before turning her attention to him.

Percy gulped.

"Not many manage to survive in my water, Perseus Jackson. Most dissolve immediately, and a rare few cling to their mortal lifelines, but ultimately fade. You must have had a particularly strong anchor."

"Y-yes ma'am."

"And yet you have lost my blessing."

"I-I'm sorry.. I"

The goddess waved a hand.

"It is of no concern of mine. I merely wonder what your cause for visiting my river could be this time. You do understand that the blessing can only be given once. A second try would be… unwise… even for those with the strongest mortal anchors."

"Ah-nono. I simply wished to talk to you, milady."

Styx's eyebrow raised ever so slightly.

"A mortal coming all this way to merely speak to me? It must be a very important conversation then."

"Well, milady… it's about oaths."

There was a long silence as she contemplated him.

"You wish to break your oath." There was no judgement in her voice, only perhaps… quiet disappointment.

"I.. I do." he said solemnly.

He had considered this ever since leaving the garden that fateful solstice night. He'd thought about it as he walked home, staring up at the sky, hoping in vain for some sign.

The goddess sighed. "You are not the first to come seeking a way around my oath. But there is a reason oaths sworn in my name are binding oaths, even for immortals. There is no work-around, no easy escape. Should you fail to fulfill what you swore to fulfill, you must accept the consequences. You know the consequences, correct?"

"Eternal damnation?" Percy joked weakly.

"You will be exiled from Olympus for ten years. In the first year you will lay comatose, unaware of your surroundings and any who choose to wake you. You will be forbidden from entering any godly place for nine years afterward and all interactions with the immortal world will cease in those years."

Would it be worth it? He wanted to speak with Lady Artemis, to talk and just _be_ with her, but how would that be possible if he was exiled from the immortal world? Ten years was a long time. She would never forgive him anyways, especially not after so long.

"I… but how did Zeus get avoid this? Or my father?"

"Due to their power and status, your father and the Lord of the Sky cannot be exiled. Furthermore, as the King of the Gods is ultimately responsible for enforcing these oaths, he is, regrettably, personally exempt from them."

"Is there… nothing I can do?"

The goddess frowned at him for a moment.

"As I have said, there is no work-around. You made your choice, Perseus Jackson. The Fates are watching. You must accept this."

Percy bowed his head.

He supposed he'd expected that it'd turn out this way. Of course the oath couldn't be circumvented. He was delusional to even wish for an alternative.

.

.

.

Perhaps he'd seek out his father for help instead given his ability to avoid the punishment.

"Thank you milady." He added, almost as an afterthought.

"Remember your oath." She responded, already sinking into the river.

Soon no trace of her remained. And the only thing that remained were the scarred remnants of humanity's hopes and dreams.

 **oOo**

"Mother…" Artemis greeted hesitantly as she entered her home.

She was immediately greeted with the warm pleasant smell of freshly baked goods, and she slowly made her way through the home looking for her mother. She found her sitting in the kitchen, perusing a magazine with a batch of cookies in front of her and more apparently baking in the oven.

"Why, Artemis, this is a pleasant surprise!" Leto exclaimed, rising and walking over to envelop her in a warm hug.

"And how have you been, Artemis? What makes you visit your mum after all this time? I can't imagine you miss my company very much considering how rarely you visit!"

Artemis blushed. "I've been busy with my duties."

Leto shook her head. "Ah-ah! Apollo has his duties, and yet he was here only a few weeks ago!"

Artemis groaned exasperatedly. "Mother, _please_ don't compare me to my brother. Besides, I've been busy with more than just driving a stupid chariot across the sky."

Leto frowned. Artemis usually wasn't _this_ antagonistic towards her brother.

"Are you alright, dear? Is there any specific reason you came today?"

"N-not really." she responded, caught off by guard by the piercing gaze that seemed to see right through her.

She couldn't hide anything for long from her mother.

Her mother sighed taking her by the arm and leading her from the room to the living room couch.

"Spill." She ordered.

And so Artemis found herself retelling the story. Of everything that had happened since Percy had left Delos.

"-and so he left me with the song and a photograph of our time together here on Delos. And I haven't seen him since." she finished, rubbing her eyes, the memories once again threatening to overwhelm her.

Her mother pulled her into a hug, but stayed quiet for a long time before she spoke up again.

"Artemis… when you were young and first took your oath, I was frightened that you would never experience the joys of a relationship, of having someone who truly cared for you;someone kind and dependable that you could trust with anything. You had turned your back on the company of men forever and I couldn't help but feel regret that you felt vowing to remain a maiden forever was necessary. So, it makes me incredibly happy to know that finally, you've found love, if even for one fleeting instant."

"Mother, I never said that I _ever_ felt that way!" She protested, pushing her away.

Leto only smiled, faintly. "You didn't have to. I can tell, simply by the way you speak of him; the time you spend with him; the fact that you invited him here last winter. You have not spent this much time with a mortal and a male at that in millennia."

"I don't- It's not like that, Mother!" Her voice rose.

Leto raised her hands placatingly. "Okay, okay. You don't love him. But I still don't understand, why have you allowed him to push you away?"

"Huh-what?" She responded, ever so eloquently.

"You say you haven't spoken to him since he left you in Persephone's garden. Why?"

"He-he doesn't want to see me again."

"Really? Did he say that?"

"Well...no, but-"

"Exactly!" Leto said triumphantly, as if her point had been proved already.

"But he just left, after leaving me with the photograph and the song. It was an implied farewell, mother. I know it was. If he'd wanted to forge anything, or if he just simply wanted to restore what we once had, he would've stayed! He's just gone, and there's nothing I can do."

"So you're going to throw away the best thing that's happened to you in the past few years based on an implied goodbye?"

Artemis was silent for a long time, before muttering something inaudible.

Leto leaned in. "Sorry?"

"I said that it's not really my choice, okay?!." Artemis growled roughly, turning away to hide her face.

Leto shook her head.

"What's the worst that could possibly happen, Artemis? He clearly cares for you, if the photograph is any indication. He understands you better than anyone except perhaps those closest to you, since you still keep that photo after all this time. In the absolute worst scenario, he kicks you out. But if things go right…" She left the thought unsaid.

"I can't, mother." she protested weakly.

"Whyever not?"

"Because he's got a girlfriend, Mother." Artemis shouted before she could help herself, unable to hide the tinge of real anger from her voice.

Leto grinned, and Artemis turned red.

"Go find him. Be good friends, if nothing else. Besides, if what he told you is true, then I _highly_ doubt he is in a committed relationship with anyone."

"I don't want to." Artemis replied petulantly, crossing her arms.

Leto sighed. Why did both her children have to be so _stubborn_?

"I can't force you to do anything, Artemis, but I think… no I _hope_ that you do seek him out before it's too late. Before you lose this chance. Because I can assure you that people like him don't come around very often; and you have a one in a million chance to find him. Not many people are lucky enough to find someone that will make them unquestionably happy. This is an opportunity, your opportunity, to discover something new and different. Something that could make you the happiest you've been since you first began leading the Huntresses. It might hurt, it might be scary, it might be difficult because of how _different_ yet alike you are, but if it works out, it'll be more than worth it. If you don't try… all I can say is that I hope you don't regret your choices in the future."

"I won't." Artemis said, crossing her arms, although with far less conviction than before.

Leto merely sighed, shook her head, and stood to check on the cookies, leaving Artemis alone with her thoughts.

 **oOo**

 **Thanks for reading. Please leave a review!**

 _Spes aeternum oritur- Hope springs eternal._


	8. Oathbreaker

**My apologies for the delay. This chapter is nowhere near the quality that I'd like it to be at, but college is kicking my butt right now.**

 **Good news is that Chapter 9 is complete. The next update won't take as long as this one did.**

 **Disclaimer: I still don't own Percy Jackson. I also still don't own** _ **Photograph**_ **. Shame, that.**

 **oOo**

 _Oathbreaker_

Percy stared at the spot where Lady Styx had disappeared underwater.

"Fuck. Fuckity shitting SHIT" He swore, fuming.

" _Stupid_ oaths." He muttered. "The punishment doesn't… wouldn't even mean shit if Artemis and my dad were on the council. I have no one I'd want to see anyways. I'd gladly take a ten year break from Olympus."

He kicked a pebble, watching it disappear into the stream of broken dreams rushing past him.

He wouldn't ask his dad about all of this. His dad would never understand; he'd probably freak out over his relationship, before telling him to stick to his oath. And that he'd have no shot with Artemis anyways, at least not in a romantic relationship. That was if he supported the idea of a relationship like that in the first place.

Percy winced at that thought.

Maybe he was being too gullible simply believing that Artemis held anything but platonic feelings for him. Sometimes, he thought that surely, _surely_ Artemis must have returned at least a portion of his feelings.

But she'd never given him any indication that was the case, and he couldn't help but think that he was dreaming sometimes.

.

.

This was pathetic. Here he was, in the Underworld, sulking about an immortal, unattainable goddess that had sworn off men for eternity. Who led a group of misandrist girls and turned men into wildlife for amusement. Oh, and let's not forget that he was oathbound to never speak a word to her outside of the solstices.

This was just the perfect foundation to build a relationship on, wasn't it?

Gods, what was he even thinking? Why was he even still trying? What was he doing here in this hellhole, forsaking friends and family for a miniscule chance at a relationship with someone who had been _worshipped_ as the eternal maiden? This relationship was impossible; doomed to end in failure before it had ever started, and he knew it.

' _Because,_ ' a small voice said in his head, ' _because no matter how much you try to convince yourself of the improbability of your dream coming, you're in love with her. And you can't help yourself from chasing her. Because, in your heart, you've realized that she's your future. Your happily ever after."_

He'd been told many times that things were impossible. He'd learned to never accept anything to be impossible. Even with an unbreakable oath hanging over his head, he still believed... _he still believed in a happy ending._ He still believed that this wasn't the end of the road, that he'd find a way, against all odds.

He smiled in resignation, suddenly at peace. Perhaps he'd finally found something to match the impossible description. But he knew that he wouldn't stop trying.

There was nothing left to do here. He'd gotten his answers; it was time to return to the world of the living. To Jasmine. Even the mere thought of her brought him immense guilt and regret. An honest relationship?

All he'd ever given her lives. He'd been doomed the moment he set foot on the floating island in the Mediterranean.

Yeah, his life was fucked.

"Well well, what a surprise." A melodious voice spoke from behind him.

Percy whirled around, drawing Riptide and pointing it at the source of the interruption.

The beautiful lady in front of him was utterly unimpressed. With a simple click of her fingers, vines sprouted around his arm, forcing him to drop Riptide as he frantically attempted to beat it back.

Unfortunately, the more he tore through the vines the faster they grew, until his wrists were bound tightly together. He struggled futilely against his bonds, but to no avail.

"So rude, Perseus Jackson." the woman said, affixing him with a stare.

Huh. It wasn't yet winter, but...

"Lady Persephone? Why are you… here?"

"Well, this is partially my domain, ever since my abduction." She responded with only a touch of bitterness, still staring at him with almost unnerving intensity.

Percy wasn't quite sure how to respond. Immortal relations were… unhealthy at best, and any mortal interference in divine affairs tended to be… even more unhealthy.

"But the better question is, Mr. Jackson, what are _you_ doing down here?"

Her stare seemed to see right through him, but there was nowhere to hide.

"I… I was just visiting?" he tried.

The goddess didn't say anything, but the bonds around his wrists tightened noticeably, until they began digging into his skin.

"Alright, alright, I was visiting the River Styx!" Percy admitted, as the bonds began to become painfully tight, almost cutting into his wrist.

"Unsurprising, given that you are quite literally standing next to it." Persephone asked, almost playfully as the pressure lessened and Percy sighed in relief.

Goddesses and their moods…

"Now, there are quite a few reasons to be visiting this river, but precious few of them involve a live mortal." She appraised him with a look.

"Why are you so keen on breaking your oath?"

Percy sputtered. "How- I mean… What are you talking about?"

"Well, everyone and their mother on Olympus has known about your previous excursion to the Styx; Zeus knows Hephaestus TV runs the story of your heroic defense of Olympus enough for your immunity to become common knowledge. Therefore, your only reason for visiting the Styx while alive would be regarding those supposedly unbreakable oaths."

"That's not- wait what do you mean by supposedly unbreakable?"

The goddess smirked. "So you _do_ want to break an oath. How… fascinating."

Percy glared at her, mentally berating himself for falling for her trick.

"And, why, you always have a choice, my young hero." She said lightly. "There haven't been many oathbreakers in the past, of course, and rightly so, for the consequences are quite harsh."

"Ten years of exile? That doesn't sound too horrible." Percy wondered, dropping his ruse entirely.

"Well, the first year you lie comatose, unable to respond to the world around you. Why, you could be killed very easily in such a state; you mortals' lives are so fragile. And should you be lucky enough to survive, you have nine more years without contact with the gods, Perseus. No divine aid, no visiting either demigod camps. As a child of the Big Three, your scent will be overwhelming, and never forget, my husband does not take lightly to people breaking their oaths. Some of the worst monsters from Tartarus have been released to hunt those who have dared to break their oaths. And without divine aid…"

"Then…" Percy's shoulders slumped. His dream was fading before his very eyes, and there was nothing he could do.

"Yes, best to honor that oath most solemnly, unless you'd like to remain down here for eternity. Now, I'm assuming you'll want to return to the world of the living?"

"Err- yes…" he responded.

"Well, I shall inform my husband and he'll send you on your way!" The goddess said, before clicking her fingers. The roots dissolved into mist, and Percy rubbed his arms, before turning to the goddess.

"Why can't you just send me yourself, Lady Persephone? Or better yet, I can just… make my own way." he asked nervously..

"Well, I rather expected that you'd like to _get in a good word_ with your uncle." She responded. "It would probably be for the best should things go… wrong?"

"What?"

"Oh don't mind me. Just concerned for your health once you break your- oh never mind. Are you sure you won't see your uncle? I'm sure he will be _very_ disappointed to have missed you."

"Uhm- that's okay, I-uh I really need to be going. I mean, if you let me I could just… head off..."

"Hmm, well if you're sure you won't see him. I suppose you should head on your way. Do you have the requisite drachma to cross the river?"

Percy shook his head. "Sorry what?"

Persephone stared at him. "Charon. Crossing the Styx to the world of the living? Unless you mean to stay down here forever?"

Percy mentally smacked himself. "Yes, yeah, I-uh I don't actually have a drachma."

"Well! That man is a menace, he won't allow anyone to cross without gold." She tutted, shaking her head at him.

"Well I suppose I'll have to go back some other way then." Percy muttered.

"There aren't very many paths out of the Underworld for mortals." Persephone mused, before tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well… I suppose-"

She reached out quickly before he could pull back and grabbed his hand. Before he could do anything other than blink, the world blurred.

When everything coalesced into discernible shapes once more, Percy found himself transported back in time.

The garden.

Their conversation.

Everything that had happened.

" _I.. I don't- I'm not good at expressing.. well anything…_ "

There was so much he wanted to say now. There was so much he _could've_ said. He'd revisited that night so many times, realized so many things about both himself and how he felt about her.

And now, she hated him. Hated him for his silence, for the way he left her with no real explanation and no real closure. He'd done what she'd despised; all those things that she'd preached were the worst side of men. He'd copied what so many before him had done: cultivating a friendship, perhaps something deeper, only to throw it away.

He'd never be able to speak to her again; he'd never be able to tell her all the things that he'd wanted to say that solstice.

He'd never be able to hear her musical laughter, or banter back and forth on casual topics.

Oh, how he wished he could have those moments back.

He ran his hand gently across the bench that they'd sat in, all those months ago. Almost in a trance, he began to sing softly under his breath.

" _Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes_

 _But it's the only thing that I know_

 _When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes_

 _It is the only thing that makes us feel alive."_

"-Perseus? Percy Jackson?! Hello?"

A voice penetrated his thoughts, causing him to jump a mile into the air.

He'd forgotten all about the goddess that had accompanied him.

"Oh, uh, thanks.. Uh- Thanks for bringing me back." Percy said quickly, turning to go. "But I'll- I'll be going now."

"Wait!" Persephone called after his retreating back.

Percy turned around briefly.

"That song… why were you singing it?" She asked curiously.

"To remind myself of that which I have forgotten."

A small bow, a broken smile, and he was gone.

 **oOo**

 _This is an opportunity, your opportunity, to discover something new and different. Something that could make you the happiest you've been…_

Her mother's words continued to reverberate around her skull as she quietly slipped out the back door, careful not to disturb her mother. It was nearing midnight on Delos, which meant that she would likely have to begin her duties soon. But, she stared back one last time at her mother, through the upstairs window.

She didn't remember a whole lot of her childhood, seeing as it was aeons ago, but what she did remember was how lonely and unhappy her mother had seemed, raising Apollo and herself on Delos, all the while exiled due to her stepmother's jealousy. Eventually, everything changed once the two of them ascended to Olympus and took their thrones, but… she still remembered watching her mother stare wistfully to the sky when she thought she was asleep.

Maybe her mother was right.

Maybe… maybe just trying wouldn't hurt. Perhaps it was time for something new.

But… was she ready to face Percy again? She wasn't sure what she would say. She was afraid of what she might do; perturbed by change, of reinventing herself. Of letting go of the past.

But no, fuck that. She was an Olympian goddess. She'd faced countless horrors in the old days, when the monsters of Tartarus roamed the Earth freely. She'd hunted some of the most fearsome beasts over the millennia. She wasn't afraid of a little bit of change.

So the only question was, how was she going to figure out where he was? She hadn't kept tabs on him since the solstice, forcibly reminding herself that _she was a maiden goddess_ and would not be tracking some _male_ around. She remembered where he had once lived of course, but she'd been by a couple of times since (she _wasn't_ tracking him), only to find out that a new owner had moved in only a month ago.

Percy, it seemed, had moved.

" _And, in all likelihood, moved on_." A nasty voice inside her head snarked.

She ignored it.

Maybe his family would know where he lived now?

She hadn't really talked with her uncle in decades. But it could be worth trying.

Almost absentmindedly, she teleported to her palace. She strode over to her fountain, carelessly throwing a drachma into the rainbow.

"Show me Lord Poseidon." she ordered shortly.

The image blurred for only a moment, before coalescing into her uncle's familiar bearded face. He was talking with someone outside her field of view, but stopped abruptly when he noticed her.

"Artemis?" He sounded surprised. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I have a few questions, uncle, regarding your son."

Poseidon frowned, "Triton? What did that boy do this time?"

"Your other son, uncle."

Poseidon's frown deepened.

"What concerns do you have over Perseus? I didn't even know you two were acquainted."

"He took the burden of the sky for me. He is one of a select few males I am, as you say, acquainted with." A white lie never hurt anyone.

"Ah yes. That's my boy, always the hero, helping the damsel in distress." Poseidon said proudly.

Artemis narrowed her eyes, but said nothing.

"Anyways, he accidentally left behind one of his possessions at the solstice, and as it is in my possession I would like to return it to him. Unfortunately, I have no idea where he might be currently, and so I came to you."

"Returning a possession? What is it, some magical artifact? Can't imagine you'd spend all this effort helping a male, Artemis."

Artemis turned red. "I thought I would do a good deed, is all. But since you don't seem to care for your own son, maybe I'll just drop it off a cliff somewhere instead."

Poseidon held up his hands. "I was only joking, Artemis. But I'm afraid I'm not particularly sure where Percy is at the moment. Perhaps you could ask his mother?"

'Another example of model parenting by the gods.' Artemis thought sourly. Despite all the wars, the problems that had arisen from gods ignoring their children, even Poseidon didn't seem to care enough about Percy to make sure he was alright.

"Well, could you at least tell me where Mrs. Jackson is? I'm sure she would have a better idea of where her son is." Artemis said, barely keeping the scorn out of her voice.

"I'll send you her address through Hermes' new instant mailbox service. It's quite ingenious you know, did you know that it can handle any sort of package? And in record time too! Why the other day I sent a live hippocampi-"

"Yes sure, that would be great." Artemis interrupted cutting across him.

Poseidon frowned at her. "Well, in that case, is there anything else…?"

"No." she said shortly, slashing her hand through the mist.

And Poseidon claimed Percy was his favorite son.

She'd visit Mrs. Jackson tomorrow, when she was ready; when she was prepared to see him again. Tomorrow she'd find out where Percy lived; march right in and demand his attention. She didn't care about any choices or stupid decisions that Percy had made. He wouldn't speak for both of them. She wouldn't let his flimsy excuses stop her from getting what she wanted; what they _both_ wanted.

She wanted to return to what they had. All she knew was that those months had made her happy. She'd thought she'd been helping him; guiding him through tragedy. But he had brightened her own life inadvertently, making her question the values and beliefs that had defined her identity for millennia.

It was _frightening._

It was _exhilarating._

She wanted those times back.

 **oOo**

For all her confidence the day before, it was a completely different thing to be standing face-to-face with Percy's mother at the door to her apartment.

"Mrs. Jackson?" she asked tentatively, almost wishing that Poseidon had somehow sent her the wrong address.

The woman smiled kindly at her, albeit slightly warily at her appearance. She'd opted for a more "normal" appearance as opposed to her usual hunting garb in an effort to appear mortal, but clearly it was not enough to completely throw off the clear-sighted mortal.

"Why yes, my dear. Are you one of Percy's friends? They've been coming around here a lot lately."

Artemis was surprised at this tidbit, but took the knowledge in stride. "Ah… yes, I'm a friend of Percy's. I hav-"

"Oh that's wonderful!" Sally said, smiling brightly. "Come in come in."

Artemis was ushered inside to the living room, where a man looked up questioningly from a stack of papers.

"Paul, dear, this is another of Percy's friends… uhm… I'm sorry dear…"

"...Selene, Mrs. Jackson." Artemis said, after a moment's hesitation, smiling tightly.

Perhaps she was doing Percy's parents a disservice, not revealing her identity. Then again, she certainly was not about to publicize her relationship with Percy to anyone, even his family.

"Ah, and you're the daughter of…?"

"Apollo, Mrs. Jackson." she replied, internally wincing at having to masquerade as one of her brother's children.

"Wonderful," Sally said, trailing off.

Artemis waited patiently, and soon enough Sally shook off whatever thoughts plagued her.

"I'm glad you came by, although I'm afraid if you're looking for Percy you'll be disappointed. He's… not been in contact much recently. We were very worried about him, you know, when his g- when Annabeth passed away. He was devastated, and I was- I was worried that-"

Paul squeezed her hand comfortingly, murmuring, "It's okay, honey. He'll be alright. I know he will."

Sally composed herself, before continuing, "We were worried that he wasn't okay; that he wouldn't be able to function without her. I know my son, Selene, and I know that he's never been hurt as badly as he was when Annabeth died. And all these visits, from his friends… I mean I know you came with good intentions; it's not that, but they just… they just _worry_ me more. Because it means that he's abandoned everyone, and that's… that's exactly the opposite of what any parent would want."

Artemis looked down, unsure of what to say. She empathized heavily with Percy; the pain from each and every huntress lost over the millennia rearing its ugly head. And she could see the pain that it caused his parents. She could _feel_ their pain as well, and it _hurt_.

But a small part of her couldn't help but wonder that if Annabeth hadn't died...

Sally continued, interrupting her train of thought. "Anyways, Percy got better, called us more, seemed happier for a time. He told me that he'd found someone new, that he wasn't sure how things would turn out, but that he was- what were the words he used again, Paul?"

"Ah- finding his happiness again, I believe." Paul said.

"Right. He was finding his happiness again. And I got him to let slip that it was with this mysterious girl. And we were happy for him; overjoyed in fact. We thought that maybe, finally, he could move on from that awful tragedy. Annabeth was special to all of us... by the gods... that girl might've been the best thing that happened to Percy...but I wanted him to be happy..."

Artemis insides twisted. She felt as though she was tarnishing something to beautiful.

And the mysterious girl… that had to be Miss Adams, no? Maybe he'd already fallen in love with her in the past few months. Maybe it was already too late.

"But then, a few weeks ago, I think, he went off the radar again. I don't know what happened; maybe he and his mysterious girlfriend had a falling out of sorts, but we've only talked once since and he was distracted the entire time; couldn't tell what he was thinking. He was clearly planning something, but he wouldn't say _anything_ as to what. I'm just worried that he's going to do something crazy again; risk his life for something he shouldn't."

Artemis… didn't know what to say, so she sat awkwardly on the couch as Paul rubbed Sally's back soothingly, while giving her a small smile.

"I'm sorry about all this, we're just worried is all. I'm sure Percy will figure things out. Anyways, we've been rude, talking about our problems and such. What can we do for you?"

"Oh…" Artemis looked down. "Percy… he left something at the solstice party about a month ago, and I've been meaning to give it back to him ever since. But since he's been gone…"

"Ah… yes. Well, let me thank you for Percy. I'm sure he would've been grateful that someone would come by after all this time just to return his belongings." Paul said.

"Would you-" Artemis paused, hesitating. "Would you by chance have his address?"

Sally looked up; "Oh yes, of course. Paul and I, we try to check up on him, but recently he's not been home much. You could try and see if he's there."

Sally rummaged around for a slip of paper before jotting down an address quickly, handing it to her.

"Thank you so much Mrs. Jackson." Artemis said, rising from the couch.

"Give.. give Percy my love, Selene, please, if you see him."

Artemis tried to smile reassuringly. "Of course, Mrs. Jackson."

 **oOo**

She rang the buzzer for the fourth time, slowly despairing of hope that Percy was home.

There was a long pause, and Artemis was just about ready to give up. Ready to head back to Olympus, ready to call her mother and tell her "I told you so". Ready to accept that they weren't meant to be.

Suddenly the door buzzed. Artemis froze, shocked that the door had actually unlocked, before quickly reaching out and opening the door, letting herself in. Had Percy been preparing himself to talk to her? Was that what took so long?

Inside, she found a security guard sitting behind a desk, smiling at her kindly.

"Is there someone you need to see, Miss? I saw you standing in the doorway."

Oh. So it hadn't been Percy who had opened the door for her after all. But perhaps the security guard would know of Percy's whereabouts. It couldn't hurt to try.

"I need to see Percy Jackson," She quickly glanced down at the piece of paper in her hands. "He's in apartment 4A."

The doorman's smile faltered.

"Ah… miss, I'm afraid Mr. Jackson hasn't lived here in… a few months I believe. And I haven't seen him in quite a while either. I'm actually very worried for him."

Artemis frowned disappointedly. "He hasn't shown up here at all? Perhaps he's moved somewhere else?"

The doorman shook his head sadly. "The apartment is still under his name, and his mail is still being sent here. What's most worrying is that he used to pick it up every couple of days, but I haven't seen him for the last couple weeks or so."

Artemis deflated visibly, turning and heading out the door.

"Oi, wait!" the security guard shouted out from behind her.

She was tempted to just ignore him, intent as she was to simply return to Olympus; to hide in her palace for… oh… the next month or so.

But she retraced her steps. "Yes?"

"Well, miss, I didn't mean to worry you or anything. I'm sure Mr. Jackson is just fine. And well, if you'd leave your name and number I could let Mr. Jackson know that you came by the next time I see him."

He pushed a piece of paper and a pen into her hands, looking at her expectantly.

"Uhm, thank you, but…" She trailed off, because the door had opened again.

"Well, well, well," the guard said, standing up and flashing Artemis a warm smile. "If it isn't Mr. Jackson! This young lady just came by to see you, what a coincidence!"

And then Artemis was turning, just as recognition lit up on Percy's face, and she could see the maelstrom of emotions that whirled across his face. Surprise, confusion, apprehension (was that a hint of fear?), before finally settling on pure, unadulterated joy.

Unbidden, a small smile flitted across her lips, and she was moving forward; almost as if in a dream.

"Percy, I-"

But whatever she had wanted to say was lost as he drew her into his arms, and all she could think about was how warm his embrace was, and how perfectly she molded into his arms.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered, pressing a kiss into her hair, as her knees grew weak and she simply melted into his arms.

And that was when she realized that perhaps her mother was right after all.

 **oOo**

 **Thank you for reading. Please review.**


	9. si vi amara, ama

**Happy Valentine's Day, everyone. Although there's certainly some irony in that this is being posted today.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson. A short passage from The Battle of the Labyrinth appears in this chapter. All rights belong Rick Riordan and affiliated franchises.**

 **oOo**

 _si vi amara, ama_

Artemis stared up at Percy for a moment, before she regained her senses, slapping him.

"Ow!" Percy complained, rubbing his head sheepishly.

Artemis simply glared at him, and he chuckled softly, not without a hint of regret mixed in.

"I suppose I deserved that one."

"Why did-" Artemis began, but Percy placed a finger on her lips.

"Later." He murmured, before greeting the security guard like old friends.

They chatted briefly while Artemis struggled to gather her thoughts, and before she knew it Percy had taken her arm and was gently leading her up the stairs. She fought the urge to shake him off, borne of centuries of habit, and maybe he caught on to her thoughts, because he let go not long after.

She said nothing as she watched Percy fumble around with his keys, before following him inside as he unlocked his apartment. It was sparsely decorated, with little personal effects. It certainly didn't _feel_ like home, and Artemis couldn't help but think that somewhere, Hestia was disappointed.

"Coffee?" he asked, interrupting her train of thought.

Artemis accepted wordlessly, watching as he busied himself with the machine.

When he was done, and the machine was whirring away, and it was just the two of them, sitting across from each other at Percy's dining room table, staring at each other, did he begin to speak.

"I know that you have a lot of questions, and I- so do I, although perhaps to a lesser extent than you… and there's a whole lot we have to talk about- so why don't you go first, and then we'll kinda just… alternate?"

She took a deep breath. She'd been waiting for this moment, consciously or subconsciously, for a long time now.

"The solstice. Tell me everything," She said quietly.

Percy smiled sadly, remembering that damning conversation, the moment that forever altered his fate.

"The solstice. Of course. But in order for you to understand the solstice, you need to know something else, something that happened before."

Artemis gestured for him to continue.

"A few months ago, in fact, it was only a couple weeks after we first stopped talking, Jasmine got into a terrible accident. She'd been driving home late at night when there was a-an accident at a busy intersection. They called me, the hospital did, and I- I couldn't believe it. I dropped everything and rushed there. And when I got there, the doctors… they…- everyone told me that it was doubtful that she'd make it. They… they said they would give me some space; some time to say goodbye."

Percy paused, taking a deep breath to gather himself, and Artemis couldn't help but think back to her conversation with Percy's parents.

Was this what made him go off the radar? Was Jasmine who he'd wanted all along?

"But then, but then I realised, I realised that this world I lived in had the potential to save her. The world of the gods. I mean, look at Leo- he was literally dead, and he still came back. If there was a way to bring back the dead, surely someone could save her. Jasmine wasn't quite gone, so I prayed to your brother for help. I didn't really know what to expect, but he answered my prayers."

Artemis frowned. It wasn't typical of her brother to answer mortal prayers, and especially not with any sort of promptness. He wasn't the type to drop whatever he was doing to aid someone.

"Your brother told me that Jasmine's injuries _were_ curable, and… well… that was everything I was hoping for at that point. But I should've known it was all too good to be true."

Artemis clenched her fist as the realization slowly came over her. Her brother, her meddlesome brother; oh she could see where this was going now.

"Your brother forced me to swear an oath to never see you again, except at solstices." Percy admitted, sounding almost ashamed, his voice now merely a whisper.

"He told me that I'd been hurting you, that our relationship, whatever it once was; whatever it is now, would never work. He gave examples of other mortal-immortal relations; of how toxic they were, and how nobody came out of it unscarred. He told me that he would save Jasmine's life, in exchange for our separation."

Percy bowed his head, unable to meet her eyes any longer.

"How could I refuse, Artemis? I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry, but I swore the oath on the River Styx, and… I condemned myself, and you. And I'm sorry."

Artemis glowed with a harsh silver light.

"That-that _bastard,_ " she ground out, standing up angrily. "I'm going to-"

Percy quickly reached out to stop her.

"Wait! Don't go, please." He implored.

"Let me go, Percy, I'm going to show that piece of-"

"Artemis," Percy spoke firmly. "I'm still under the oath. If you leave- no, once you leave, the consequences will trigger. And I'm not done explaining. I still have so much to say."

Artemis sat down slowly.

"You… you are? B-but Percy, ten years…"

Percy smiled sadly, continuing, "That's why I want to explain everything, Artemis."

And so she listened, her heartache returning with every word that he uttered.

"You asked me about the summer solstice, no? I hadn't wanted to go at first. You see, everything was too fresh, too painful, and besides I still wasn't sure you even wanted to see me. I didn't want to impose… no that's a lie. I didn't want to see you because… because if you'd moved on; if you'd never wanted to talk to me ever again I don't know how I would be able to live with that. But I realized… I realized that I wouldn't get many opportunities to see you much at all. I don't have an eternity to look forward to, my time is limited as is already. With my life being so unpredictable, who knew how many more chances I'd have to see you? And so I went."

He paused, hearing the beep of the coffee machine, before getting up to pour the coffee into two separate mugs. Setting one down in front of her, he went back around to his own seat before continuing his story.

"And… when I saw you, I was struck, once again, by just how much I'd missed you; missed our little chats. I'd ignored your calls, and you were angry, rightfully so. And so I wanted to explain everything, without anyone listening in."

He carefully reached out, and she didn't flinch away.

His hand was warm and comforting, and for a moment she could forget that they would have to part, that he would be gone.

"I remembered that I wanted you to be happy, that I wanted you to remember me fondly, during the periods of our forced separation, and even after I'm long gone; a distant memory of a foolish son of Poseidon from ages past. Pathetic of me, I know, but-"

"I will." Artemis interrupted, staring at him.

"W-what?"

"Percy," she said, squeezing his hand gently. "In all the years… the millennia that I've been alive, nothing; not the Hunt, not my childhood on Delos, has made me feel quite as happy; as _content_ as I've felt, as I'm _feeling_ right now. Here. With you. You.. as cliche as it sounds.. you complete my identity. I never really realized it until you were gone, but..."

His mouth opened, but Artemis placed a single finger on his lips, freezing him in place and silencing him.

"That photograph… it's meant everything to me, Percy. After you left, I.. you… I'd never felt so _defeated_. Not even when defeat appeared certain against Typhon, against Gaea, had I felt so _crushed_."

"I'm so-"

"Don't be sorry. You made me realize that… that-"

It was in this moment, on the cusp of changing her very identity, that Artemis faltered.

But Percy didn't let it deter him, forging ahead as she hesitated.

"I was never very good at expressing my feelings. All my relationships; they've always started rocky, full of confusion and hurt and misunderstandings that could lead to screaming matches. But that night… what I was trying to say, what I had been building up to but was too scared to tell you at the very end of the song, was that I love you. I was too cowardly that night to tell you. I didn't want to know what your response was, whether you'd hate me or return my feelings, so I left before I could find out. But now, I've realized that it's too important not to tell you. And so yes, Artemis, I love you. As crazy as it might seem, as impossible as a relationship might be… I love you, and even if you don't… or can't… return my feelings, a part of me will always love you."

Percy paused, and in a moment of clarity understood that every word would last lifetimes, that here was the chance that he'd been waiting for, since that night in the garden. A split second of opportunity had presented itself that might never come again.

"I know that you're _the_ virgin goddess. No one, not even Hestia or Athena, represent chastity and maidenhood quite like you. And there have probably been countless others before me and there will be countless others after me who, perhaps paradoxically, have fallen in love with you. But all that doesn't matter because you gave me the happiness that I so desperately needed. And even though after today… I won't be able to see you, at least I got the chance to tell you. At least you'll always know that I love you."

Artemis was crying; she could feel the droplets slowly rolling down her face.

He didn't look away, unembarrassed by his own admission, safe in the knowledge that, even if nothing came of it, even if she slapped him and turned him into a woodland animal for the rest of his life, at least he'd given his everything.

However ephemeral their relationship was, however doomed their future was, in the here and now he was… the happiest he'd ever been. And so he simply watched her carefully, preparing his heart for the pain of rejection, even as his soul dared to hope for another answer.

"I-..." Artemis choked up, the tears continuing to fall. Percy was…

"Oh Zeus be damned," she murmured, before reaching up, closing the gap between them and gently pressing her lips to his.

Lightning coursed through their bodies, as the world melted away around them, until it was just _them and only them_. Percy and Artemis. There were no oaths between them; no meddling siblings; no emotional baggage of the past or inevitable goodbyes of the future.

There was only love, pure and innocent and forever fated not to be. A love oh so painful, but so gods damned _fulfilling_ , forever imprinted in their memories.

They slowly broke apart, feeling as though the kiss had lasted an aeon.

Percy's eyes opened to see Artemis smiling at him radiantly, and despite the tears still flowing down her cheeks, Percy found that he'd never seen anyone quite so beautiful. Aphrodite, Calypso, even Annabeth paled in comparison. Artemis he could just stare at; forever and ever, and forget everything else existed.

"And I love you, Perseus." she admitted quietly, trembling slightly.

Percy moved to the other side of the table, wrapping an arm around her, revelling in the closeness, in Artemis snuggling closer into the crook of his arm.

A moment of peace, of solitude… shattered.

"I should've known you would break your oath." A quiet voice sounded from the doorway, and both lovers whirled around to find Apollo standing there, bereft of his usual flashy attire, dressed in casual clothes: a white T-shirt and shorts, looking for all the world as if he'd stepped off the cover of some magazine.

There was a flash of movement too quick for Percy's eye to follow, but suddenly Apollo screamed in pain, his left hand embedded into the wall by a silver arrow, golden ichor dripping down the wall.

"Sis, what-"

"I have had enough of your meddling in my affairs, _Apollo_. You have _no right_ to interfere with my life, to-"

"I have every right, sister." Apollo growled, cutting across Artemis's rant, suddenly losing his typical, nonchalant attitude. "You _made an oath_ , all those years ago, or have you forgotten? Your position as an Olympian goddess, the entire _Hunt_ , all those temples and all those sacrifices made in your honor are because of your titles, and they were bestowed upon you for what you _represented_. And you're willing to throw it all away? And for what? Don't tell me the great goddess Artemis found _love_."

" _Fuck you_." Artemis hissed, her silver eyes flashing with rage. "All those years, you couldn't give a fuck about my Hunt, flirting with and trying to lead my Hunters astray. What do _you_ know about oaths, huh, brother? How many have you broken over the millennia?"

Apollo flinched. "Artemis, I-"

But she had too much momentum now. All of her anger, all of her rage and frustration, and the simple _unfairness_ of having her chance at happiness snatched away because of her meddlesome brother boiled to the surface.

"What do you know about love, when all you really want is to bed the most attractive women you can find? Do not presume to lecture me, when you can't even practice what you preach."

Artemis moved forward.

"You've been nothing but a thorn in my side, always showing up to ruin the best things in my life. If you hadn't been my brother, I- I would've…"

Apollo paused in his attempts to remove the arrow and heal his wound, staring at her. "You would've…"

"I would've faded you." She spat out, breathing heavily.

She immediately regretted her words. She would never...

Apollo's mouth opened, his eyes flaring with rage and fear and hurt.

"Fine, then, if that's how you see me. I was only trying to help you; I didn't want to see you banished from Olympus for a decade. I didn't want you to face the consequences that Father will no doubt bring over your head. But since you wish to murder me, forever, I will ensure your suffering. You're no sister of mine. I'll watch you take those consequences and laugh. For the first time in millenia, perfect little Artemis will feel what Father's punishments are like. And as for Perseus, well he has broken his oath. He _will_ be exiled, and the two of you? I swear that I shall not rest until you are forever separated."

Apollo began to glow, signifying his departure to fulfill his promise.

Artemis screamed, "Wait-,"

But it was too late, and Percy averted his eyes away from the golden flash that filled the room. Then he was gone, and all that was left were the quiet sounds of Artemis sobbing.

 **oOo**

The light faded away as Artemis sat on the couch, leaning on Percy's shoulder as she listened to him break her heart.

"I don't- I don't want you to wait for me, Artemis. I- Hades will hunt me, during the ten years I'm in exile. I can't- I love you too much to ever hurt you. And I know that- that if something happens to me…"

"Stop it Percy. You're going to be okay. And ten years from now, I'll be there for you." She cried. "I'm going to be here ten years later, and so will you."

Percy gently enveloped her in a hug, holding her gently, but firmly.

"Do you think your brother will ever rest, knowing we are happy together? Hades, do you think your father would ever accept us? You are, perhaps, his _favorite_ child. And I'm the son of his greatest rival. The Ancient Laws may forbid them from directly interfering with my affairs, but they offer you no such protection. And… I can't allow you to hurt yourself for me. I wouldn't be able to live with that."

Artemis pushed him back to stare at him. "So what do you expect me to do? Just forget about you?"

Percy's breath caught in his throat.

Was this what would happen? Would he be forgotten? Would these precious few months, forever imprinted in his memory, slowly but surely fade with time for her?

Would she go back to being the misandrist she was before, denying herself happiness for millennia?

"I- if that's what would make you the happiest." Percy whispered bitterly.

Artemis broke free of his grip, pointing a shaking finger at him.

"Don't you understand, Percy? Don't you understand that being here with you is what makes me happiest?"

"But we can't." Percy said softly, closing his eyes, not even bothering to hide the tear slipping down his cheek. "Trust me, Artemis, I would give everything to spend an eternity with you. But I wouldn't be able to live with you losing everything for me."

He opened his eyes, reaching out to gently lower Artemis's shaking hand, finger still pointed at him.

"The Hunt. Your family. All these values you've treasured for millennia. They'd be gone, and I'd be gone too. You'd be giving up everything for a few years, maybe a few decades if we're lucky. And then, while I'm long gone, you'll still be here. You'll be forced to accept the consequences of our relationship, all while I am long gone. Do you think I could live with myself, causing you so much pain and sorrow?"

Artemis closed her eyes in pain. It wasn't as if he didn't have a very valid point, but...

"Percy, this isn't about you. This is _my_ choice; my decision. And if I want to give up everything for you, then that's what I want to do."

"This is about both of us. How can I enter a relationship with someone knowing that it is doomed to end in tragedy? I am and will always be mortal. I'll grow up and I'll change. I could become someone completely unrecognizable to you in a decade. I mean, ten years ago, I had no clue this world existed; only the faintest knowledge that somehow I was _different_ from all the other kids, but with no idea how. Time _changes_ you, Artemis. What if… what if ten years from now you- _we_ just don't work anymore?"

"But… what if we _do_? You're going to give it all …- you're going to give _us_ up because you're not sure about how things will change in the future?" She asked.

Percy was silent for a moment.

"What if I die?" He asked simply.

Artemis took a deep, trembling breath, struggling to control herself.

"I thought that… I thought that after Annabeth… you of all people would understand. That you would be willing to be together, even ten years later. That you would cherish this- _us_ , more than anything. I…-"

Artemis stopped, swallowing painfully.

"It's _precisely_ because I've lived through that tragedy that I want you to _move on_ ," Percy burst out. "You know how much it fucking hurt me when, suddenly, she was just gone. We'd planned a future together. We had dreams of honeymoons in Paris, fucking changing the world. _We had our lives in front of us._ And then she's gone- forever. I got so low that my mom had to send me the suicide hotline number, because she was so scared. I want to spare you that. I don't want you to stand here, on my doorstep, ten years from now, looking so much like you did today, waiting for me only to find out that I've been long gone for _years_. I don't want you to come to the realization ten years later, either I'm not here anymore, or I'm not the person you remember or want. Because ten years can change us all."

Percy took a deep breath, looking away. He didn't think he could continue if he kept looking at her, seeing the tears staining her cheeks.

"Annabeth, she'll always hold a special place in my heart. I still miss her, almost all the time. But, you're- you're different. She taught me love, but you taught me happiness. This past year, despite everything, has been filled with so many moments that I will cherish forever. I love _you_ so much that it hurts. And knowing that I'll have to hurt you, whether it's in the next ten or one hundred years; knowing that you have to live through what I lived through, I just… I can't. Do you think it's easy for me to say this? Do you think it's easy for me to, as you say, 'give you up'?"

Here, he choked up, taking a long moment to compose himself.

Tears trickled down his face as he continued, "Don't you ever misunderstand me, Artemis... this... with you, it's everything I've been fucking dreaming about since… since Delos. All those nights I spent, on my apartment roof, at Central Park, or inside a coffee shop, staring up at the moon. All of that was for you. Sometimes, I want this relationship so much that it hurts; sometimes I just want to scream fuck the Fates and fuck my oath and just go up to Olympus and just _try_. But… my fatal flaw is personal loyalty. I've never been able to put myself above others. And tonight…. tonight I've realized that I'd rather hurt myself by giving you up than end up hurting you when I'm gone."

He paused, staring at his lap, his head bowed.

"I'd rather hurt myself than end up hurting you." he murmured.

"I… I don't care." Artemis whispered, after a long silence filled with contemplation.

Percy looked up at her, only to see her silver eyes light up fiercely as she grabbed him by the front of his shirt.

"I don't care about what you think, about what you're afraid of, about what _you'd_ rather do. Because I say fuck that, I do what I want. And I want this, with you." Artemis shouted, shaking him.

"I _know_ that, even in ten years' time, I'm going to want to explore our relationship. I- I love you Perseus." She took a shuddering breath.

"You're the first man, perhaps ever, the centuries make it difficult to remember, that I've felt this way. And that won't change in ten years, or a century, or any amount of time. Know that I haven't felt like this in a long time, if ever. And so I'm holding on to you … _for_ a chance with you, even if you won't do the same for me." She choked back the sob, glaring fiercely at him.

"You say that you'd rather hurt yourself than hurt me … but you can't hurt me any more than you would if you left me. If you gave this up. If, ten years later, you disappear without saying goodbye."

"I-" Percy's voice cracked.

Why was it so hard? Why couldn't things have been simple? Every choice a sacrifice. Every path a difficult one. Never easy, never simple and clear-cut. What had he'd done to piss off the Fates, so much so that his heart was shattering once more before it had ever mended?

The moment took him back in time once more; distant history that looked destined to repeat itself.

' _I would never do anything to hurt you, but my friends need me. I know how to help them now. I have to get back._ '

' _Then come to the beach, my hero. And we will send you on your way._ '

Calypso had been his biggest what-if. Annabeth had been his happily ever after, only to be taken away by a cruel twist of fate.

And here, Artemis was his dream, his redemption, and his everything all mixed into the desperate dreams of a future where he could finally just _be_. Where he could finally find the peace and happiness that had eluded him.

He didn't want to give it all up.

He couldn't.

And so he reached into his pocket, and pulled out his pen, pressing it into her fingers.

"Ten years, Artemis, you'll find me again. _We'll_ find each other again. That," Percy gestured towards his trusty pen, "That's my promise to you."

Artemis stared at it, her fingers tightening around the sword.

"I-I'll hold you to it," she said, pocketing Percy's most prized possession.

It was time to say goodbye.

"Have you- have you thought of where to go for the next decade?" Artemis asked.

"I think…" Percy said, trailing off for a moment. "I think I'll stay with my Mom, and Paul. I… owe them a lot, and I hope they'll understand."

She smiled softly, reassuringly. "Of course they will."

Percy gently wrapped his arms around her, and she encircled her arms around his neck, reaching up to kiss him lightly.

"This, I've never experienced anything like this. Immortal I may be, but in all the millennia.. nothing like this. I love you, and I'll miss you terribly," she whispered.

Percy simply hugged her even more tightly to his chest, knowing, but unwilling to accept, that this could be the last time he'd ever see her. There were no words to describe it. Nothing came to mind. So he ghosted his lips across her forehead, and hoped it sufficed.

Because there wasn't anything quite so painful as saying goodbye.

 **oOo**

 _si vi amara, ama-_ If you wish to be loved, love.

 **Thank you for reading. Please review.**


	10. Interlude: Memoriae

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. This chapter has seen no beta, so all mistakes are mine.**

 **oOo**

 _Interlude: Memoriae_

 _For it is our memories, more than anything else, that remind us of our past. Of who we truly are. Without them, we would be adrift on the sea of life, forever wandering fruitlessly in search of our identity._

 **oOo**

The first thing he registered, when he woke up, were the tears. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he opened his eyes, a terrible sense of grief and _loss_ temporarily overwhelming him. It was as if he were missing an intrinsic part of himself… but what? Or where? Or...Who?

It.. had to be part of his dream, right? He'd been having this dream of someone important to him. Someone who was lost to him now… but who? And why?

He'd been asleep for a long time now; banishment from Olympus for… for what?

He held his head.

Why couldn't he _remember_ these things? He knew they were important, but it was as if everything important to him had been stolen from him… again. Deja vu all over again.

Looking around for a distraction, the first images to greet him in over a year were of his mother, tenderly holding his hand by his bedside while Paul stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders gently.

She rushed forward and enveloped him into a hug, which he awkwardly reciprocated with one arm.

"Oh Percy," she sobbed into his shoulder. She took a step back, taking in his pale countenance and shaking shoulders, and immediately panicked.

"Oh God Percy are you hurt? Does… Is this a side effect of your coma? Is this part of… whatever happened?"

"I'm-I'm alright Mom." He hiccupped, using his free hand to swipe away the tears that continued to roll down his cheeks.

She didn't seem convinced in the slightest. "Are you sure, Percy? You're… you're crying."

"Y-yeah, I… I'm fine. I-I just-" he trailed off, furiously racking his brain.

"What's wrong?" Sally prompted.

"I can't remember." he replied, frustratedly.

"Remember what?" Sally asked in confusion.

"Why I was banished. Something happened. Something important. I can _feel_ it in my bones. Something's missing. Some _one'_ s missing" He looked up at her. "Do you know about anything, Mom?"

She shook her head slowly. "No, I don't. That night, the night you were brought home, was a terrible blur. I think it was your father who came. He merely told me that you had broken an oath, and that you were to be exiled from the mythological world for ten years. He looked anxious and quite dishevelled, which was odd considering his usual appearance, and did not stay long, but he said to take care of you, and that you would awaken in a year. He mentioned that you were under some sort of stasis, but he said nothing about what happened to you or why you suddenly fell so far in the graces of the gods. I wanted to ask so many questions, clarify so many things, but he said that he needed to return to Olympus for something important. It was supposed to concern your safety. You can understand why I was so worried, that you'd been attacked or something. And so I let him leave with a quiet prayer and…" She looked down.

Paul immediately reached over to wrap her in a comforting hug while Percy looked on awkwardly.

"I was hoping…" his mom continued.

"You were hoping what?"

"Well, I was hoping that you'd be able to tell me what happened. I.. this past year..." she hiccuped.

Percy felt a wave of guilt.

"That's the thing, Mom. I can't remember. There's.. something there. I know there is. I know something happened, something forbidden, and I was involved. But… it's like a hole in my memories. I can't really remember who or what or why I was exiled. But… there is one thing I can remember…" he trailed off.

"Remember what?"

"I just remember falling in love."

 **oOo**

 _They are a curious thing; memories. Intangible, yet eternal. Memories exist in abundance, but despite that they can be precious; something treasured above worldly possessions. They provide an identity, they form an integral part of our souls. It is why the dead must drink from the Lethe before rebirth. They must cleanse their souls of attachments to their previous lives._

 **oOo**

"What have you done to me?" her silver eyes glinted with barely concealed fury at the goddess cowering beneath her feet.

"I-I don't know what you mean."

"This is no time to play games, _Goddess of Memory_." Artemis spat, pushing the blade of her hunting knife tighter against her neck, a golden trail of ichor slowly trickling down her throat. "I'll ask only once more. What have you done? Why are some of my most recent memories… faded?"

"I- I did nothing." Mnemosyne gasped out desperately. "I have no power over your memories, nor would I ever have incentive to take them away. Whatever happened to your memories, the cause lies in a greater power than I. Please, Artemis, you have to believe me."

Even through Artemis's haze of anger and despair, Mnemosyne's desperation rang true, and although she was no master at the art of discerning lies…

Slowly, she pulled her blade away from the goddess of memory's neck.

"I can't remember…" she whispered. "I-my memories of these past years… after the war with Gaea… they're gone."

They stared at each other in silence then; Mnemosyne, too scared to move; Artemis, in a far off world.

"I… if I may…" Mnemosyne finally worked up enough courage to speak up, indicating her bound position beneath the goddess of the Hunt.

"Oh, my... apologies." Artemis said hesitantly, allowing the goddess to regain her feet and gently wipe away the trail of ichor from her neck.

"Memories…" Mnemosyne began, causing Artemis to pause in her contemplation and look back at her. "Memories are an integral part of a soul. That is, they cannot truly fade or disappear, unless the soul itself were destroyed. They may be wiped away, most famously by a single drop from the River Lethe, as you well know. But even Lethe merely induces forgetfulness. The souls who drink from the river; their memories that they once made in the world of the living do not disappear, they are merely forgotten. These memories may be recovered, whether through divine will or by more nefarious means."

"You mean to say that my memories can be recovered?"

Mnemosyne bowed her head. "I would not know. Your case is different; the loss of the memories of an immortal outside of direct contact with the Lethe is rare. And the Lethe is curable; I myself have the power to undo the memory loss myself, but I have no way to restore your missing memories. In your case, a select portion of your memories were specifically removed… locked away, for lack of better words. They are still _there_ , somewhere deep within your consciousness, but you are prevented from retrieving them. This type of power has only been reserved for the most powerful deities."

"You speak of my father." Artemis stated.

Mnemosyne inclined her head. "Or someone of equivalent powers."

"Thank you." Artemis said, already beginning to glow.

 **oOo**

 _Memories are simple to create, but difficult to recover. To recount the past is imperfect, to recreate it, flawed. It is part and parcel of the value of memories; those special moments that we wish we could hold onto forever. It is why amnesia can be so devastating...for everyone._

 **oOo**

When she first showed up at his door again, he thought it was a prank. Or maybe somewhere along the way he'd picked up a mildly violent stalker. That would probably explain the strange woman that slapped him the moment he'd answered his door.

He was still confused even after he'd finally gotten an explanation from her. Girlfriend? After Annabeth, he'd gotten another girlfriend? Was this the girl that he'd fallen in love with? Was this the girl whose existence was erased from his memories?

His mother had helped smooth over ruffled feathers, but even so it took a while for Jasmine to stop crying. At the time, he'd thought it odd that a girl would be this attached to him.

It had taken… long conversations to help him remember again. The gaps in his memory were still present, but he remembered meeting Jasmine for the very first time, seeing her walk under the dim lights of the aquarium, admiring all the aquatic animals inside the individual tanks.

She could've been the girl he'd been searching for, he thought. The one that he'd loved and lost.

So why did it always feel so wrong when he thought of her in that way?

But he buried his confusion and told Jasmine about himself and his past. The truth, as it were, about his life as a demigod. She had stuck with him through everything that he'd put her through; she deserved this mom and Paul both pitched in, trying to normalize the experience for her from a mortal perspective.

Their explanation: 'if it doesn't make sense we just have to trust that it's mythological' route worked, surprisingly.

It took a great deal of effort trying to convince her of the truth, with the Mist hiding most of the evidence of the godly world. In the end, it had been the Yankees cap that had finally done the trick, once she became sure that his disappearing act wasn't some hoax or trick.

"So…" she began, one summer afternoon after he'd finished explaining to her how he'd spent a year in Camp Jupiter as their praetor. "What I'm essentially to understand here is that you've spent your life since fifth grade fighting monsters and big bad Titans and even Mother Earth herself, and that you're some kind of hero in this mythological world of yours? Oh and of course, let's not forget that the Olympian Gods, the ones in all the legends and myths that fascinated people millennia ago, are not only real, but all alive and well today?"

Percy nodded. "It's a lot, but yeah, that's mostly it."

Jasmine shook her head, smiling ruefully. "What have I gotten myself into?"

"You mean you're not…" Percy hesitated. He had been fully expecting her to walk out one day and never come back. He'd been dreading it, mentally preparing himself for the experience. But now…

"I would've thought that you'd have realized by now it's going to take _quite_ a lot to get rid of me, Percy. Or should I call you Perseus?"

"Please don't. It sounds so formal, I'll think I'm being lectured by my old teacher or something."

"So I'll use it when you're being an idiot. Got it!" She smirked at him.

He shook his head, unsuccessfully hiding his smile. "I'm glad you're with me, Jas."

Her expression turned more serious.

"I've cared for you for a long time, Percy. Even during those times when I was angry at you… or hurt… or both... I never stopped caring. And despite your numerous disappearances and now this… this mythical world that you're apparently a part of… I'll still be here by your side. Forever."

Percy smiled wanly. "Well, forever is a long time…"

Jasmine punched his arm. "Forever, you hear me?"

Percy nodded and settled more comfortably into the couch.

"Forever." he agreed.

 **oOo**

 _In the end, it is difficult to forget entirely. Even those who have drank from the Lethe… there are still moments of recollection. Commonly known as the phenomenon of deja vu; that inexplicable feeling of familiarity accompanying an experience our consciousness knows has never occurred before often happens to all of us. Because sometimes we find it almost impossible to truly forget that which is most precious to us._

 **oOo**

"It was for insurance, my dear." Zeus explained, looking at his beloved, _angry_ daughter with a pained expression. "Those memories that you have forgotten; there was sensitive information… with _oath-breaking_ consequences. And besides… he's _exiled_..."

"I know that, Father!" She screamed at him, tear tracks staining her cheeks. "I _know_ that there is someone… someone important to me that I have lost. Someone that made me reconsider my oath, all those centuries ago."

Zeus's eyes widened in shock. "You... remember?"

Her silver eyes alight with cold fury, Artemis took out a small ballpoint pen. Zeus's eyes widened.

Artemis continued furiously, her fingers clenched tightly around her most prized possession.

"You may have erased his existence from my memories, but you can not… you will _never_ be able to… to take those emotions away. I _know_ this pen is special. I _know_ it belonged to… to _him._ "

Zeus took a step back. His words became stuttered, almost hesitant, as if he no longer recognized the goddess before him.

"What happened to you, Artemis? Are you… have you been cursed? This isn't you! Where is the girl that climbed into my lap all those years ago and swore off men, forever?"

"You know _nothing_ about me, Father. For your entire, miserable, immortal life, you've never spent much time in getting to truly know me. You've loved this image of me; this ideal of the perfect daughter. A huntress; a maiden, dutifully going about her duties to Olympus and to you. That was all I ever was to both you and the world. You don't _know_ me, you only see this _idolized_ version of me."

"Are you even listening to yourself, Artemis? You're grieving over the loss of a companionship of a male. Your hatred towards men; it's widely known. You may believe yourself to be correct when you say that I have never been a great Father to you, but even I know that you have always tormented men. And here you are, _craving_ male companionship. What would your Huntresses say if they could see you? What would my daughter say?"

 _Thunk!_

Faster than the eye could follow, a silver arrow had thudded, quivering slightly, into Zeus's throne, millimeters away from his head.

In a shaky voice, the hand still holding her silver bow aloft trembling, she said, "They would have supported me, as their Mistress. Thalia, especially, would have understood me, far better than her _father_ ever will. Do you think that I am so foolish as to fall for the tricks of men? You are correct, I have hated men for millennia, precisely because I could discern their true intentions in a heartbeat, and they were rarely pure of heart. But this person that you've taken from me, I know that he's different. I'm sure of it. Whoever he is, wherever he is in this world, I'll find him again despite your interference. You mentioned oaths; I shall oblige you. I swear that I'll find him again. And when I do… when I do I'll make sure I have no regrets."

"You would break your oath then," Zeus said, and suddenly he... _changed_. It was no longer her father Zeus staring down at her. It was Zeus with the full glory and might of the King of the Gods behind him. _This_ was the Zeus that handed down punishments. "You would cast aside your duties, your domains for these emotions you have. You would give up your maidenhood."

There was a long moment of silence.

For a moment, Zeus saw a crack. A waver in her stance. But then it was gone, almost as if it never existed in the first place.

" _Yes_ , I would."

 **oOo**

 _Some of us move on from our lost memories. We live another life, throw ourselves into making new memories in order to forget that which we lost..._

 **oOo**

On their first anniversary, he'd taken her out on a hiking trip to the Appalachian trail. Jasmine had been going through a health nut phase and, in her enthusiasm, had dragged them farther than he had expected along the trail. It'd gotten dark sooner than they'd expected and, unwilling to try to find their way back to their car in the darkness, they'd made themselves a makeshift campfire and decided to take turns keeping watch throughout the night.

"So this is a taste of the demigod life, eh?" Jasmine joked as they cuddled together with their backs against a large flat rock.

Percy chuckled. "If you mean the whole stranded in the wilderness vibe then yes. Fortunately for us, the most dangerous thing we have to worry about is probably something like a wild bear."

" _Scary_."

"Oh? Are you afraid of the big bad-"

"Shut up and go to sleep." Jasmine interrupted, a smile curling the corners of her lips. "I've got first watch."

It hadn't been comfortable, the bugs made it impossible to sleep, nor was it remotely romantic, but it didn't matter. They were together. They were happy.

They went back for their third anniversary, with better planning and preparation. The feeling of waking up and watching the sunrise together, simply enjoying the beauty of the scenery as well as each other's company… it became one of their most treasured memories.

And their relationship only continued to get better. They rarely fought, and even then it was over their schedules. Jasmine's novels had become moderately popular and had entered the mainstream, leading to appearances at book signings and other such promotional events. Meanwhile, Percy had managed to take his GED and enroll in university. His class schedule, plus all the time Jasmine spent travelling, meant that they couldn't see each other as much as they'd both wanted. Even so, it was only a matter of time before they got used to working around each other's schedules.

The time they spent together was precious. They did their best to maximize it, with Jasmine making time to visit Percy on campus, or Percy hopping on an overnight bus to be at Jasmine's new novel's release during school breaks. Every time he saw her, his heart swelled. Every time she saw him, that warm feeling she'd first felt stepping outside of a hospital threatened to overwhelm her again.

On their eighth anniversary together there was a ring on her finger. Percy had found himself a part-time job working on campus, and with his parents helping him pay tuition and food, he'd managed to save up, little by little, for a nice, plain golden band. It wasn't much, but Jasmine was already making more than enough from her budding writing career. It wasn't anything fancy; but he knew she didn't want anything fancy.

One dinner date, some nervous pacing and sweaty palms, and a few heartfelt words under the moonlight were the final steps.

His heart leapt when she said yes, with tears in her eyes and her hands covering her mouth. Sliding the ring onto her finger would be something he remembered forever. Hades, _everything_ about that night would become one of his most treasured memories.

He was _engaged_ , to be married to the love of his life.

So why… why now… why was there this small, niggling feeling that he was forgetting something; that there was some _one_ he really didn't want to forget?

 **oOo**

 _Others cling to those lost memories, knowing that something precious lies hidden beneath that unyielding barrier. While we may someday recover what was lost, perhaps it would be best to have forgotten… if only it were possible._

 **oOo**

"You took him from me." Artemis said quietly, staring at her brother across a crackling fire, Leto standing hesitantly between them.

Apollo crossed his arms, his eyes hidden behind another pair of shades. "No. I protected you and forced you to see what you were too blind to acknowledge."

"Too blind to acknowledge? To acknowledge what? The only thing I failed to acknowledge was my own feelings. I failed to realize my chance at happiness until it was already gone; stolen from me by someone I'd once considered family."

Apollo flinched slightly at the mention of family. Leto had tears in her eyes. Despite their recent differences, they had shared many happier times together as a family.

"Artemis, please…" Leto started.

"Your relationship was never going to work out, Artemis! For perhaps the first time in your immortal life, you were blinded by your feelings. Don't you think that I would know that a relationship between an immortal and a mortal would fail?!" Apollo burst out.

Silver fire alighted within Artemis's eyes.

"You… you _dare_ compare those cheap, vulgar consorts of yours to Perseus?"

Apollo ignored the slight.

"We've been over this, Artemis. You know as well as I how these relationships tend to work. Of all the gods on the council, how many have had a successful relationship with a mortal? Dionysus is the only one who has ever made it work, and even then, it was through the choice of Ariadne to become his immortal wife that it so happened. And you know as well as I that Perseus would have never accepted immortality, if his actions during the past two wars were any indication. He values the normality in his life too much. He values his friends and family far too much. He would never accept an eternal life, not when he knows that to do so would condemn himself to a lifetime of misery as he watches those who he loved pass by him."

"Apollo-" Leto tried to interrupt, but he forged ahead, determined to make his sister see reason.

"You may not wish to admit it, but this was for the best. I admit I have not gone about this in the best way, but nevertheless, you _must_ see that a relationship with Perseus, no matter how happy it would have made you for a few years, would always end in failure. Instead, _you_ would have been forced to watch him grow old, change, and leave you. It would break you; if this is how you are after only knowing him for a few years, imagine how you would feel decades from now. I've _always_ looked out for your best interests, because you _are_ my sister.."

"Get out." she said quietly, not even looking at him.

Apollo crossed his arms. "This is my home as much as yours, Artemis. What right-"

"I SAID, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT." Artemis screamed, rising to her feet only to be wrapped up in a hug from her mother.

"Stop, Artemis." She said firmly, holding her tightly as she struggled. "I may not agree with what Apollo has done to interfere with your life, but he is correct in saying that he is still your brother. And, however misguided his intentions may be, he _does_ have a point."

Leto held Artemis even as she slowly stopped struggling, tears streaming down her face.

"I don't _care_." Artemis said, almost petulantly.

"I'm going to find him again. I'm going to find Perseus again, and I won't mess it up this time, no matter what you do." The defiance in her voice was returning.

She reached into her pocket, retrieving the pen that she had held for so long. The one whose meaning she finally understood.

"I'm going to give this back to him, and I _will_ make everything right."

"You know," Apollo said, with an almost apologetic tone, watching her carefully. "You may choose to disbelieve me, but I truly only wanted the best for you. And so I will leave you with one final piece of information. I didn't want to tell you, it will only hurt, not help, but I will say it in the hopes that, one day, you will realize that I really, truly, am looking out for your best interests, Artemis."

She remained silent, not trusting Apollo or herself.

Apollo sighed heavily. "Perseus is engaged."

And Artemis's heart shattered.

 **oOo**

 _No matter which path one chooses, the loss of memories always result in tragedy. For those who move on, there is always a sense of regret. A sense of loss, because perhaps, in another world, one would have made a happier, more fulfilled life. For those that cling to the past, there is only misery. The misery of having forgotten, of having loved and lost. A sense of having missed out on a chance that would never be presented again._

 **oOo**

 **Notes: This is a bit of a departure from my usual style, hence the time it took for me to even be marginally satisfied with the end product. It has gone through many phases, and I'm not entirely sure if it should be it's separate story or if it is more appropriate here.**

 **There is one more chapter left to this story. I'm thankful to all of you who have stayed and read this far. As always, thank you for reading, and please review.**


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